US Open Final: Emma Raducanu's shot at history free to watch after Channel 4 and Amazon Prime deal
Emma Raducanu's shot at making US Open history will be free to watch after Amazon Prime agreed a deal with Channel 4 to share the women’s final on Saturday.
The British sensation's showdown against Leylah Fernandez will be shown on the nation's small screens after a deal was agreed to broadcast the women's final on free-to-air television.
18-year-old Raducanu will take on fellow teen Fernandez, from Canada, at 9pm in the greatly-anticipated showdown where she hopes to become the first British woman to win a grand slam in 44 years.
Amazon’s Prime Video streaming service had exclusive broadcast rights in the UK for the final grand slam of the year - but it has now agreed a deal with Channel 4 to broadcast it, maximising the viewing potential for one of the biggest sporting stories of 2021. The company has pledged to reinvest the money from the deal into British women’s tennis to help fund the next generation of players.
Raducanu's unlikely victory to the final has captivated the British nation - and even took the athlete herself by surprise.
Following her sensational 6-1 6-4 victory over 17th seed Maria Sakkari that secured her spot in the final, Raducanu said she "couldn't believe" she had made it this far and admitted she had booked a flight home after the qualifiers.
ITV News Correspondent Juliet Bremner hears the good luck messages from around the UK for British teenager Raducanu
And regardless of the outcome this evening, the Kent star has already rewritten the history books.
The teen has become the first qualifier – male or female – to make the final of any grand slam and is the youngest British woman to reach a grand slam final in more than 60 years.
On the line is a prize of £1.8 million – more than eight times Raducanu’s current career earnings – as well as 2,000 ranking points, which would move the teenager up from her current standing of 150 to 23.
Even defeat would see Raducanu climb to 32nd in the rankings, putting her in contention to be seeded for her debut at the Australian Open in January.Excited Britons across the country are rooting for Raducanu in the first all-teenage final since Serena Williams beat Martina Hingis in 1999.
Raducanu and Fernandez, who are only separated in age by two months, had not yet been born when that game took place.
The two Gen-Z players have both taken the tournament by storm, dismissing some of the world’s best players between them.
Incredibly, Raducanu has not lost a set en route to the final and has dropped just 27 games in her six matches.
Fernandez, 19, has had a similarly seismic impact at Flushing Meadows, with her incredible run including victories over defending champion Naomi Osaka, another former winner in Angelique Kerber, fifth seed Elina Svitolina and second seed Aryna Sabalenka.
When the opponents last met on the court, Raducanu won 6-2 6-4 in the girls’ singles at Wimbledon in 2018.
“We first encountered each other because I was born in Toronto and she was Canadian, so we kind of made a little relationship back then,” said Raducanu. “Obviously since then we’ve both come very far in our games and as people. I’m sure it’s going to be extremely different to when we last encountered each other.
"But we’re both playing good tennis so it will be a good match.”