The 2021 US Open has been an eventful tournament so far. Notably, the teenagers in the competition have been right at the heart of the entertainment. From big upsets to revamping the records books, the season-finale this year will be remembered for the rise of a new era. Leading the charge for the young battalion are Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz and 19-year-old Canadian sensation Leylah Fernandez.
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Courtesy of their youthful exuberance, the two young guns have emerged as fan favorites at the Flushing Meadows. Notably, both players have played remarkably well throughout the tournament, beating some of the best in the business. 18-year-old Carlos Alcaraz shocked the sporting world when he beat World No. 3 Stefanos Tsitsipas in a thrilling 5-setter. Similarly, putting her youthful energy on display, Canadian Leylah Fernandez arrived in style, knocking out defending champion Naomi Osaka in the third round.
As the star athletes moved further in the tournament, they are joined by fellow youngster Emma Raducanu. Today, they revamp the history books, making way for Emma to do the same.
Champions in the making
Despite the absence of a greats like Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Serena Williams, not many predicted the youngsters to succeed at such a high level. However, proving them wrong, Leylah, Carlos, and Emma continued their fine run of form and have all booked a place for themselves in the quarter-finals of the tournament.
Winning their round 4 clashes, they match a new record at the US Open. For the first time since 2001, the New York courts will have teenagers battle it out in the quarter-finals. The record up till now belonged to Andy Roddick, Serena Williams, Daja Bedanova, and Kim Clijsters, the class of 2001.
#USOpen has a teenager in men's & women's QFs for 1st time since 2001 (assistance from @WTA_insider)
2021@AlcarazCarlos03, 18@LeylahFernandez, 19th birthday today
(@EmmaRaducanu, 18, plays 4R today)2001@AndyRoddick, 19@SerenaWilliams, 19
Daja Bedanova, 18@ClijstersKim, 18— ATP Media Info (@ATPMediaInfo) September 6, 2021
The young guns have turned heads with their commendable performance in the tournament. However, what remains to be seen is how far their youthful energy can take them.
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Will Carlos Alcaraz stop Novak Djokovic?
Dubbed as the younger version of Rafael Nadal, Carlos has won both games and hearts. Notably, with every triumphant performance, he seems a serious contender for the title. However, with World No. 1, Novak Djokovic chasing history, will Carlos see his dream run come to an end?
Carlos’s successful run in the tournament surely puts him in the conversation for the title. However, can the 18-year-old be the one to crush Novak’s Calendar Grand Slam dreams?
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Read more: Dominic Thiem Explains Why Daniil Medvedev Has an Edge Over Novak Djokovic for US Open 2021 Title