The Queen leads the tributes to Emma Raducanu after the teenager made British tennis history at the US Open

• Click here for Emma Raducanu match report & reaction

A 6-4 6-3 win over Leylah Fernandez ensured the 18-year-old followed in the footsteps of Virginia Wade, who lifted the Wimbledon trophy in 1977, and she has been backed to win more majors by compatriots Tim Henman and Greg Rusedski.

Raducanu become the first qualifier to ever win a grand slam and was victorious in all 20 sets she played in qualifying and the main draw at Flushing Meadows.

“I send my congratulations to you on your success in winning the United States Open Tennis Championships,” a message from The Queen to the teenager read.

“It is a remarkable achievement at such a young age, and is testament to your hard work and dedication.

“I have no doubt your outstanding performance, and that of your opponent Leylah Fernandez, will inspire the next generation of tennis players. I send my warmest good wishes to you and your many supporters.”

Henman, who reached the semi-finals of the US Open in 2004, had been a constant source of support for Raducanu courtside in New York and believes more titles will follow this debut win.

“What she has achieved, second grand slam and the way she has gone about it, she will win more of these, she is that good,” he told Amazon Prime.

“This is not some flash in the pan or fairy tale. She is playing top five tennis. Her world will be turned upside down but she has good people around her and it will be a hell of a ride if she can stay injury free.”

Rusedski was a runner-up at Flushing Meadows in 1997 and, like his fellow Amazon Prime pundit, is sure this is only the start for the player from Kent.

He added: “A star was born tonight. The first set of tennis was the best set of tennis I have seen in a women’s finals for a long time.

“The future is so bright. She is going to be a multi-grand slam winner, a world number one. She is the real deal and it is a breath of fresh air having an 18-year-old win the event.”

Britain’s Billie Jean King Cup captain Anne Keothavong described Raducanu’s victory as one of the greatest sporting achievements ever after she spent 16 months away from the tour until June while she focused on her A-levels.

“It still feels so surreal – that was just an incredible performance from Emma, and from Leylah,” she told Amazon Prime.

“A really high-quality tennis match from two teenagers, but honestly I never thought I would see a British female lift a grand slam trophy in my lifetime. I can’t put it into words how huge this is.

“This is perhaps one of the greatest sporting achievements ever. I am so happy for her and the way she has done it, to not drop a set in the whole tournament, it is not normal and is unheard of.”

Raducanu reached the fourth round at Wimbledon in only her second WTA tournament but stepped up her level in New York.

Keothavong added: “She has shown us all she is made for the big stage. It is just an unbelievable achievement and her life will be very different from now onwards.

“She has the ability to be right up there at the top of the women’s game and dominate. Really, the future is looking more than bright.”

Former Wimbledon junior winner Laura Robson hailed the mentality of the 18-year-old, who will rise to world number 23 in the world having been outside the top-300 before her appearance at the All England Club earlier in the summer.

“What a performance Emma Raducanu, so clutch under pressure. She is just a phenomenal talent,” she told BBC Radio 5 Live.

“To deliver that sort of performance today is another level. She is just the full package. Her movement is fantastic, her shots are incredible, the pace and the way she takes it on the rise but for me mentally today she was outstanding.”

Prime Minister Boris Johnson paid tribute to Toronto-born Raducanu, he wrote on Twitter: “What a sensational match! Huge congratulations to @EmmaRaducanu. You showed extraordinary skill, poise and guts and we are all hugely proud of you.”

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge also hailed the achievements of the teenager, who moved to England with her Romanian father and Chinese mother at the age of two.

“Huge congratulations @EmmaRaducanu on your stunning performances and historic Grand Slam victory!” the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge wrote on Twitter.

“Incredible – we are all so proud of you. @LeylahFernandez well done on your amazing achievements at this year’s #USOpen , it’s been a pleasure to watch. C”

Emma Raducanu's history-making achievements

• First qualifier ever to reach - and win - a Grand Slam final
• First woman to win a Grand Slam as early as the second attempt. Previous record was four (Monica Seles - 1990 French Open - and Bianca Andreescu - 2019 US Open.
• First woman since Pam Shriver (1978) to reach a Grand Slam final as early as the second attempt
• Fourth woman to reach US Open on debut (Shriver 1978, Venus Williams 1997, Bianca Andreescu 2019) and just the second to win it after Andreescu.
• Youngest Grand Slam finalist - and winner - since Sharapova (17) won Wimbledon in 2004
• Youngest British Grand Slam female champion in the Open Era at 18 years and 10 months and third youngest of all time behind Lottie Dod (15y 10m at 1887 Wimbledon & 16y 10m at 1888 Wimbledon) and Christine Truman (18y 4m at the 1959 French Open).
• First British woman to win - and reach - a Grand Slam final since Virginia Wade won Wimbledon in 1977.
• First British woman to win - and reach - a US Open final since Virginia Wade won it in 1968
• Only the fourth different British woman to contest a Grand Slam final in the Open Era (Virginia Wade, US Open winner 1968, Aussie Open winner 1972, Wimbledon winner 1977; Ann Haydon-Jones French Open runner up in 1968 & 1969, Wimbledon winner 1969; Sue Barker French Open winner 1976)
• Therefore just the eighth time a British woman has been in a Grand Slam final in the Open era.
• Raducanu was ranked 361 in June before her Wimbledon run and now she'll be up to a high of 21

Routes to the US Open final

EMMA RADUCANU'S RUN

Raducanu’s ambitions on her US Open debut centred around getting through qualifying, which she did without losing a set. Since then, the 18-year-old has steam-rollered her way through the draw, losing just 27 games in six matches. Her victims have included Olympic gold medallist Belinda Bencic and 17th seed Sakkari. Raducanu has appeared shocked and delighted throughout before completing her crowning moment in straight sets yet again.

• R1: 6-2 6-3 v Stefanie Voegele (world number 128) - 1hr 18 mins
• R2: 6-2 6-4 v Shuai Zhang (world number 49) - 1hr 22 mins
• R3: 6-0 6-1 v Sara Sorribes Tormo (world number 41) - 1hr 10 mins
• R4: 6-2 6-1 v Shelby Rogers (world number 43) - 1hr 06 mins
• QF: 6-3 6-4 v Belinda Bencic (world number 12 & Olympic champion) - 1hr 22 mins
• SF: 6-1 6-4 v Maria Sakkari (world number 18) - 1hr 24 mins
• F: 6-4 6-3 v Leylah Fernandez (world number 73) - 1hr 51 mins

LEYLAH FERNANDEZ'S RUN

Fernandez has undoubtedly had a tougher draw, making her first big splash by upsetting defending champion Naomi Osaka in round three. She followed that up by knocking out another former winner in Angelique Kerber, fifth seed Elina Svitolina and second seed Aryna Sabalenka, all in tough three-set contests. She has spent more time on court than Raducanu despite playing three fewer matches but her belief has been evident throughout, with Fernandez saying after beating Kerber that she was not surprised by her achievements.

• R1: 7-6 6-2 v Ana Konjuh (world number 88) - 1hr 45 mins
• R2: 7-5 7-5 v Kaia Kanepi (world number 70) - 1hr 56 mins
• R3: 5-7 7-6 6-4 v Naomi Osaka (world number 3 & two-time US Open champion) - 2hrs 04 mins
• R4: 4-6 7-6 6-2 v Angelique Kerber (world number 17) - 2hr 15 mins
• QF: 6-2 3-6 7-6 v Elina Svitolina (world number 5) - 2hrs 24 mins
• SF: 7-6 4-6 6-4 v Aryna Sabalenka (world number 2) - 2hrs 21 mins