‘Emma Raducanu and Leylah Fernandez will both win multiple Grand Slam titles,’ says Mats Wilander
US Open finalists Emma Raducanu and Leylah Fernandez will both go onto win multiple Grand Slam titles in their career, according to Mats Wilander.
Canadian star Leylah Fernandez has enjoyed a fairytale run at Flushing Meadows this year, beating defending champion Naomi Osaka and second seed Aryna Sabalenka to race into Saturday’s final.
Emma Raducanu, who made her Grand Slam debut at Wimbledon two months ago, is yet to drop a set at the tournament and became the first qualifier to reach a Grand Slam final following an assured victory over Maria Sakkari.
The pair of teenage stars will face off in the first all-teen US Open final in 22 years, when 17-year-old Serena Williams defeated 18-year-old Martina Hingis.
Wilander believes that both Fernandez and Raducanu are capable of winning multiple Major titles after their dominance at Flushing Meadows this year.
“For Leylah [Fernandez], this is an early sign that if she stays healthy physically she is going most definitely going to get to a bunch of semi-finals, a bunch of quarter-finals, and finals – and most probably win some – because she has it,” Wilander told Eurosport.
“Mentally Leylah is like a rock, incredible. She has a temperament similar to Rafa Nadal that leaves you asking how do you do that?”
“Emma is incredibly talented, physical, has unbelievable timing, tennis IQ, heart and enjoys it. They have both embraced in a way that I cannot put myself in their shoes.”
“Emma has done it at Wimbledon and the US Open, you can do it at the smaller tournaments but she has done it on the biggest stage which says it all.
“I would say the same about Emma as I would say about Leylah, if she stays fit she is going to win multiple Grand Slam titles. I cannot imagine a player like that not winning three or four majors, I really can’t.”
The seven-time Grand Slam champion also believes both finalists have very similar game styles and match up well, making for an intriguing contest.
“This final is going to be more of an open match where both Emma and Leylah are going to try and be aggressive, close to the baseline, without having a killer shot off of a dead ball,” said Wilander.
“Raducanu and Fernandez play very similar in a way, if Fernandez was right-handed you wouldn’t see much difference in their styles, they are pretty close in how they play.”
Read >> US Open BREAKING NEWS
Watch >> US Open LIVE SCORES
Catch up >> US Open ‘Second Service’
Enjoy >> US Open LIVE COMMENTARY
Order >> US Open SPECIAL MAGAZINE
Follow >> Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & YouTube
Join >> Tennishead CLUB, the world’s only virtual tennis club
