British qualifier Emma Raducanu defeated Greece’s Maria Sakkari, the No.17 seed, 6-1, 6-4, to become the first qualifier to reach a Grand Slam final in Open era history.
The 18-year-old called playing under the lights at Arthur Ashe Stadium "iconic."
Maria Sakkari walked out in front of members of the Original 9.
Emma Raducanu, ranked 150, still has yet to drop a set all tournament.
Maria Sakkari avoided the bagel in the first set, but was ultimately undone by a grim total of seven winners against 17 unforced errors.
Since the start of qualifying, Emma Raducanu has won 18 consecutive sets and she has dropped a mere 27 games in her six main draw victories.
The 26-year-old from Athens also played in the semifinals this year at Roland Garros.
“Honestly today I wasn’t thinking about anything else except for myself,” Emma Raducanu said on court after her victory.
This is Maria Sakkari's seventh US Open—and the furthest she's ever advanced in the New York tournament.
“Is there any expectation?” Emma Raducanu asked the crowd. “I’m a qualifier so technically on paper there’s no pressure on me.”
