British 18-year-old sensation Emma Raducanu became the first qualifier to reach the US Open semi-finals by defeating Tokyo Olympic champion Belinda Bencic 6-3, 6-4 on Wednesday.
Raducanu, only the fourth qualifier to reach a Grand Slam semi-final, made the Swiss 11th seed the highest-rated victim of her young career in making history on the New York hardcourts.
“It was a really tough match,” Raducanu said. “I’m really glad to have come through.”
World number 150 Raducanu, who hasn’t dropped a set at the Open, had no clue she would become the new British number one or about the historic impact of her display on the New York hardcourts.