In becoming the first qualifier ever to capture a Grand Slam singles final, Emma Raducanu won every set she played at the 2021 US Open, both in qualifying and the main draw. By defeating Leylah Fernandez in the women’s singles championship match, 6-4, 6-3, Raducanu captured every set she played in her 10 matches at this year’s tournament—three qualifying matches and seven main-draw matches.
“Inside I knew I had some sort of level inside of me that was similar to these girls, but I didn't know if I was able to maintain it over a set or over two sets,” Raducanu said after advancing to the title match. “To be able to do it and play the best players in the world and beat them, I honestly can't believe it.”
The 18-year-old Raducanu was so dominant at the 2021 US Open she did not even played a tiebreak. She lost five games in a set only once, and that was against Mariam Bolkvadze in the second round of qualifying. In her six main-draw matches leading up to the final, Raducanu had dropped as many as four games just three times.
Winning 20 consecutive sets during a US Open championship is the longest streak of success in Open era history. Nine other women have claimed the US Open title without losing a set, but all did it in 14—or fewer—consecutive sets. Chris Evert and Serena Williams swept their way to the title three times each. Billie Jean King and Martina Navratilova captured the crown twice each without a set loss. Margaret Court, Lindsay Davenport, Martina Hingis, Monica Seles and Venus Williams also engineered set sweeps. No man has won the championship without losing a set along the way.
In a tournament that has put so much history on the line, Raducanu adds yet another entry into the US Open annals.
