US Open: British Teen Qualifier Emma Raducanu Rolls Into Semifinals

British 18-year-old sensation Emma Raducanu became the first qualifier to reach the US Open women's semi-finals by defeating Belinda Bencic 6-3, 6-4.

British 18-year-old sensation Emma Raducanu became the first qualifier to reach the US Open women's semi-finals by defeating Tokyo Olympic champion Belinda Bencic 6-3, 6-4 on Wednesday. World number 150 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." On Thursday, Raducanu will face the winner of a later match between Czech fourth seed Karolina Pliskova, this year's Wimbledon runner-up, and Greek 17th seed Maria Sakkari to decide a berth in Saturday's final at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Raducanu, who would be the first qualifier to ever reach a Grand Slam final, made her Slam debut this year at Wimbledon and reached the fourth round. She 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. Raducanu became the youngest US Open women's semi-finalist since Maria Sharapova in 2005, although she is only a couple of months younger than Canadian 19-year-old Leylah Fernandez, who will face second-seeded Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in the other semi-final.