Good evening and welcome to our live coverage of The Big One: Britain's Emma Raducanu takes on Leylah Fernandez in the FINAL of the 2021 US Open and it could hardly be more exciting...

What it means to move within a set of lifting the US Open title.

SET! - RADUCANU 6-4 FERNANDEZ. Great Britain’s Emma Raducanu takes an outstanding opening set in the 2021 US Open! The qualifier tees up two set points with a sizzling crosscourt return winner but shakes her head in frustration as Fernandez digs deep to wipe them both out. The Canadian saves a third but when the fourth comes along from deuce Emma steps in and rifles a forehand up the line to strike first blood. It’s taken 58 minutes but what an absolute spectacle it’s been. More of the same please.

RADUCANU 5-4 FERNANDEZ. Deep in the first set of your maiden major final in a tight, high calibre encounter, this is the type of service game you want. In the context of the match, it’s relatively routine as Raducanu applies that scoreboard pressure with a solid hold to 15.

RADUCANU 4-4 FERNANDEZ. That’s just clutch. Raducanu attacks to apply some heat at 15-30 and then again at deuce when the Canadian slaps a wayward forehand well wide. Leylah has made a habit of handling high pressure moments against some of the world’s best on her run here and she digs out her finest to ease out of danger. A brilliant forehand to the postage stamp and a wide, swinging serve ensure this remains so finely poised eight games in.

RADUCANU 4-3 FERNANDEZ. This is already some match. The baseline exchanges are an absolute joy to watch. Raducanu puts away a brilliant volley at the net before blowing a routine one. She shrugs it off and comes out on top in back-to-back barnstorming rallies, thundering a pair of forehand winners to see out the game.

RADUCANU 3-3 FERNANDEZ. That’s a huge slice of luck for Leylah. She fizzes a forehand towards the open court but it slaps high into the net tape and somehow rolls over. She apologies to Emma but it’s on game point and proves decisive. The Brit had her chances there as she swept a forehand just into the tramlines at 30-30 after Fernandez’s third double fault of the match had opened the door.

RADUCANU 3-2 FERNANDEZ. Emma double faults for the second time and needs to hustle from 0-30 down. Typically, she responds in style as she follows up a blistering forehand with some much-needed first serves to reassert her authority and nudge the board.

RADUCANU 2-2 FERNANDEZ. Raducanu threatens a recovery from 40-0 down when her opponent takes a ball out of the air on the drive volley and blazes it way off court. A big serve ensures the miss is academic as Fernandez levels it up.

BREAK! - RADUCANU 2-1 FERNANDEZ. What a response from Leylah. She dishes out the treatment on the return game, turning the screw just like Raducanu did to her. She’s frustrated on three break points but gets another when Emma double faults. The Brit then crunches a crosscourt backhand attempt into the net and it’s an instant break back for the Canadian.

BREAK! - RADUCANU 2-0 FERNANDEZ. What a game! If that’s an appetiser of what’s to come, then we could be in for a treat. Emma immediately goes on the attack on her return game and leaves the Canadian scrambling. A double fault contributes to triple break point but the 19-year-old responds, turning defence into attack with a vicious forehand winner on her way to saving all three. The Kent teenager then sees a fourth and fifth opportunity go begging as they take it in turns to conclude some exhilarating rallies with trademark big hitting that has been the hallmark of their runs to the final. Eventually Raducanu gets a sixth chance and it’s a scream of ‘let’s go!’ as she belatedly converts. The GB starlet is off to a flyer.

RADUCANU 1-0 FERNANDEZ. It’s a promising start from both players. Fernandez rasps a crosscourt backhand winner to make her mark but Raducanu comes flying back as a big serve and a sweeping backhand winner of her own get the Brit up and running.

Raducanu will serve first.