Britain’s royal family  congratulated Emma Raducanu after the 18-year-old created a string of records by defeating Canadian Leylah Fernandez in the US Open finals. Raducanu became the youngest Grand Slam champion since Maria Sharapova’s win in 2004, the first qualifier to win a Grand Slam title and the first British woman to win a major trophy since Virginia Wade’s Wimbledon triumph in 1977.  

Queen Elizabeth hailed the “remarkable achievement at such a young age,” and said it was a testament to Raducanu’s hard work and dedication. “I have no doubt your outstanding performance, and that of your opponent Leylah Fernandez, will inspire the next generation of tennis players,” she wrote.

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Prince William and his wife Catherine, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, also congratulated Raducanu on her “stunning performances and historic Grand Slam victory.”

Prince Charles and his wife Camilla offered their praise as well for the “fantastic achievement!”

Raducanu’s 6-4, 6-3 win against the 19-year-old Fernandez on Saturday came in the first Grand Slam final featuring two teenagers since the 1999 US Open, when Serena Williams, 17, beat Martina Hingis, 18, for the first of her 23 major singles trophies.

The match was delayed for more than four minutes when, at 5-3, Raducanu was left with a bloodied knee when she slid chasing a ball to her backhand side. 

Toronto, Canada-born Raducanu came to Kent, London, as a two-year-old with her family. Her father, Ian, is from Romania, while her mother, Renee, is from China.

Raducanu was ranked 150th in the world when she entered the US Open as a qualifier, only to reach the finals without dropping a single set, a feat last achieved by Serena Williams in 2014 in the tournament.