Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
A fairytale in New York!
Emma Raducanu made tennis history when she pulled off one of the greatest sporting achievements of modern times with victory in the US Open women’s singles final.
In only her second major, the Orpington teenager became the first qualifier in the Open era to win a grand slam title and the first British woman to triumph since Virginia Wade at Wimbledon in 1977 after a 6-4, 6-3 win over Leylah Fernandez of Canada.
Raducanu, ranked 150 going into the event, didn’t drop a set throughout her three weeks in New York en route to the title and £1.8million in prize money, although there was late drama when serving for the match as she fell awkwardly, cutting her knee and requiring treatment.
Despite facing two break points, Raducanu held her nerve to secure the title with an ace.
She said: “I’m still so shocked, I can’t believe I came through that last service game. It means everything to hold this trophy and I don’t want to let go now.
“When I came out on court I felt at home, business as usual, and I was focused on one point at a time. I had to fight really hard to cling on to that first set and keep my nose in front in the second. I don’t think I served as well as I have through the tournament but it helped in the key moments.”
Jordan Cox went from zero to hero at Edgbaston as Kent triumphed at T20 Blast Finals Day for their first win in the competition for 14 years.
Cox was out for a golden duck in the semi-final win over Sussex Sharks but he hit a crucial halfcentury in the final before a brilliant fielding display helped Kent defeat Somerset by 25 runs.
Batting first, Kent made 167-7. Somerset were 94-6 in the 14th over of the chase when Kent made one of the best catches in a T20 final. Lewis Gregory thought he’d put Darren Stevens away for a six over deep midwicket, but Cox brilliantly jumped over the boundary and tipped the ball into the hands of Matt Milnes to take the catch.
Kent captain Sam Billings said: “I can’t really put it into words. It’s been a phenomenal team effort, all year. The whole squad to a man have been incredibly impressive.
“It’s for the fans as much as us, it’s been a long time coming and we’ve been threatening to do it for a while. Over the last few years, we’ve been one of the best sides in the country.”
Kent added another trophy to the cabinet when they wrapped up the County Championship Division 3 title less than a week
later with a two-wicket win over Middlesex.
September was a barren month for Gills, with just one league win in five, and off the field there were problems, too, with
chairman Paul Scally hitting out at those fans he claimed were attacking him with ’defamatory and derogatory’ abuse.
He said: “I don’t have time to correct all the wrongs and the false accusations. I was stunned at Shrewsbury when at 1-0 up there was a small section of supporters singing ‘we want Scally out’.
“Personally it is unpleasant, it is hurtful, it is not necessary, it is unfair and unreasonable and I suspect I know who started it.
“My children won’t come to football anymore because they are so upset with some of the stuff they see on social media and once it starts to effect my family then rest assured I am going to come after the people who are the perpetrators of some of this filth.”
In National League South Dartford’s 100% start to the season ended with a draw
against Tonbridge Angels. They were back in top form a week later as Steve King claimed his first FA Cup win as Darts boss with a 5-1 thrashing of Hythe.
Former Gillingham, Leicester and one-time England boss Peter Taylor returned to football after almost two years out of the game to take over at Welling.
In Tokyo, Tunbridge Wells’ Will Bayley became the most successful British Paralympic table tennis player in the modern era, despite defeat by China in the 6-7 class doubles final alongside Paul Karabardak.
Ross Wilson, from the Isle of Sheppey, and Aaron Mckibbin were beaten 2-0 by China and came away with table tennis bronze in the Class 8 team event.
Gravesend’s wheelchair racer Johnboy Smith finished 10th on his Paralympic debut in the T54 marathon in a season’s-best time of 1hr32min25sec.