NEW YORK: Canadian teen sensation Leylah Fernandez advanced to her first Grand Slam final on Thursday by defeating world number two Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in the US Open semifinals.
The 19-year-old prodigy eliminated Wimbledon semifinalist Sabalenka 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 6-4 and could capture her first Slam crown on Saturday at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
“I don’t know how I got that last point in but I’m glad it was and I’m glad I’m in the finals,” Fernandez said.
Fernandez will play for the title against the winner of a later semifinal between Greek 17th seed Maria Sakkari and 18-year-old British qualifier Emma Raducanu.
Fernandez, a 73rd-ranked left-hander, made Sabalenka her third top-five victim of the Open, having earlier ousted defending champion Naomi Osaka and fifth-seeded Elina Svitolina.
Not since Serena Williams in 2012 at Wimbledon had a player beaten three rivals ranked in the top five at a Grand Slam.
If Fernandez meets 150th-ranked Raducanu in the final, it would be the first Slam final between teens since 17-year-old Williams beat 18-year-old Martina Hingis at the 1999 US Open — and only the eighth all-teen Slam final in the Open era (since 1968).
“I don’t care. I just want to play a final,” Fernandez said. “I’m going to enjoy my victory and worry about it tomorrow.”
Fernandez, who turned 19 on Monday, never went deeper than the third round in six prior Slam starts.
Sabalenka broke in the second game of the match on a forehand volley winner and dominated early with power shots, but Fernandez found her form and broke back to 4-3 on a Sabalenka double fault and they held into a tie-breaker.
Fernandez’s father-coach Jorge preached mental toughness in her training and it showed in the tie-break.
Sabalenka, 23, netted a forehand with a wide-open court to hand Fernandez a 3-2 edge. The teen never trailed after that, winning the last four points to claim the first set in 53 minutes.
“That’s years and years of work and tears and blood and sacrifice,” said Fernandez of her mental toughness.
Fernandez blasted a service winner to lead 4-3, saw Sabalenka mis-hit an overhead smash wide and double fault, then fired another service winner for the set, prompting the Ashe stadium music director to play the Eric Clapton song “Layla” as the crowd roared.
“I have no idea (how I won),” said Fernandez. “I’d say it’s thanks to the New York crowd. They helped me. They cheered for me. They never gave up.”
Sabalenka broke to open the second set but Fernandez broke back to 2-2 with a backhand slice winner.
Fernandez, however, sent a forehand long to surrender a break in the ninth game and Sabalenka held at love to force a third set.
After an exchange of breaks in the sixth and seventh games, Fernandez held to 5-4 and Sabalenka crumbled with the match on the line, issuing back-to-back double faults to 0-40 and sending a forehand long to fall after two hours and 21 minutes.
Fernandez hit 26 winners with 23 unforced errors to 52 unforced errors by Sabalenka with 45 winners.
Sakkari and Raducanu were set for their first-ever meeting with a Slam final berth at stake.
Raducanu would be the first qualifier to reach a Grand Slam final after becoming only the fourth to reach a Slam semifinal, the first at the US Open.
Raducanu is trying to become the first British woman to win a Grand Slam title since Virginia Wade at Wimbledon in 1977 and the first British woman to win the US Open since Wade in 1968.
She would become only the second woman ranked outside the top 100 to reach a US Open final after unranked Kim Clijsters came out of retirement and won the 2009 US Open.
Teen Fernandez beats Sabalenka to reach US Open final
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Teen Fernandez beats Sabalenka to reach US Open final
- Fernandez, who turned 19 on Monday, never went deeper than the third round in six prior Slam starts
E1 World Championship opens 2026 season in Jeddah with expanded field, growing global profile
- Season’s opener features record 10 teams
JEDDAH: The 2026 UIM E1 World Championship presented by PIF will launch its new season in Jeddah, with the Red Sea city once again hosting the world’s first all-electric raceboat series, and champions Team Brady beginning their title defense against an expanded and competitive field.
Set against Jeddah’s Red Sea coastline, the season-opening E1 Jeddah GP 2026, which takes place over Jan. 23-24, will feature a record 10 teams racing the cutting-edge E1 RaceBirds, underlining the rapid growth of the championship and its ambitions as a global competition spanning four continents.
Team Brady are the outfit to beat, having claimed the Champions of the Water title in 2024 and 2025. However, competition is expected to be fiercer than ever, with several teams strengthening their lineups ahead of the new campaign.
Team Monaco and Sierra Racing Club join the championship for 2026, adding further depth to the grid with a mix of experienced and emerging pilots. Team Rafa, who finished just 11 points behind Team Brady last season after a title fight that went down to the final laps, are widely regarded as one of the leading contenders and will be aiming to make an early statement in Jeddah.
Team AlUla Championed by LeBron James also return to race on home waters, one year on from their E1 debut. Carrying local pride, the team will be looking to build on last season’s momentum in front of Saudi fans.
The world-class field is further strengthened by a roster of high-profile, celebrity-backed teams, including Will Smith’s Team Westbrook, DJ Steve Aoki’s Team Aoki, Team Drogba, led by football legend Didier Drogba and his partner Gabrielle Lemaire, and Team Miami, featuring Grammy Award-winning artist Marc Anthony.
Fans will be able to get close to the action across qualifying and race day, with on-water viewing available from the E1 Fan Zone. The area will give visitors the chance to see the E1 RaceBirds up close and will feature a gaming arena with simulator and virtual reality experiences, as well as a VOX cinema screening of “Zootopia 2.” Merchandise outlets and a range of food and beverage options will also be available, creating a family-friendly race-day experience.
Beyond the racing, E1’s return to Saudi Arabia reflects the Kingdom’s growing role in shaping the future of electric sport and sustainable mobility. The championship serves as a living laboratory for electric propulsion systems, accelerating innovation that can influence marine transport while also supporting broader conversations around ocean protection.
As part of its partnership with E1, Formula E’s Driving Force Presented by PIF E360 is hosting its educational program in Jeddah this week. The initiative aims to inspire students aged 8 to 18 to explore science, technology, engineering and mathematics, as well as sustainability, through the lens of electric racing.
The program reached more than 60,000 students globally in 2025 alone, with a further 50,000 targeted this year, taking its reach to over 100,000 young people worldwide.
On the sporting side, PIF’s commitment to excellence will again be recognized through the PIF Pilot of the Day award, presented after finals day to honor standout skill and performance over the race weekend.
Alejandro Agag, founder and chairman of E1, said: “Starting our 2026 season in Jeddah is a powerful statement for E1. The region represents ambition, innovation and a clear vision for the future, and the Red Sea provides the perfect environment as our largest grid yet of 10 teams begin their battle to be crowned 2026 Champions of the Water.”
The Jeddah race is set to deliver high-intensity competition, renewed rivalries and an early glimpse into the future of high-performance racing on water.
