Unseeded for US Open, Emma Raducanu dominates final in fairy-tale ending

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Category: Sports

Listening

Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. hoist / hɔɪst / (v.) – to raise or lift something, especially a heavy object
    Example:

    A machine hoisted the goods onto the ship.


  2. triumph / ˈtraɪ əmf / (v.) – to win or be successful
    Example:

    Italy triumphed over France in the soccer finals.


  3. unseeded / ʌnˈsi dɪd / (adj.) – not ranked as one of the top players in a sports competition
    Example:

    The two-time tennis champion was shocked when he lost to an unseeded player.


  4. unfathomable / ʌnˈfæð ə mə bəl / (adj.) – unable to be fully understood
    Example:

    Paul’s actions are unfathomable. I don’t know why he’s acting this way.


  5. remarkable / rɪˈmɑr kə bəl / (adj.) – unusual and worthy of attention
    Example:

    Thanks to his remarkable talent, he was accepted by every famous art school in the country.


Article

Read the text below.

Britain’s Emma Raducanu completed a Grand Slam fairy tale Sept. 11 by beating Canadian Leylah Fernandez 6-4, 6-3 in a clash of the teens to be crowned U.S. Open champion.


The 18-year-old became the first qualifier to win a Grand Slam title and the first British woman to hoist a major trophy since Virginia Wade triumphed at Wimbledon in 1977.


“It’s an absolute dream,” said Raducanu, who shot from 150th to No. 23 in the world rankings Sept. 13.


Raducanu’s win received the royal stamp of approval, with Queen Elizabeth II taking to Twitter to offer congratulations.


The first Grand Slam final — men’s or women’s — to be contested by two unseeded players was an unfathomable matchup featuring qualifier Raducanu and little-known Fernandez, 73rd in the standings going into the tournament. One unseeded player making a major final would be considered remarkable — two in the final is near unbelievable. All the more remarkable was that Raducanu’s march to the title required 10 matches and she did not drop a single set. (Reuters)


This article was provided by The Japan Times Alpha.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

  • Raducanu was an underdog, a competitor who most people thought had little chance of winning the US Open. Do you like to cheer for underdogs, or do you prefer when high-ranked players/teams win? Why? Discuss.
  • In tennis, organizers “seed” players, which means that they keep the top-ranked players from competing against each other in the earlier rounds. Do you think this practice is fair? Why or why not? Discuss.

Discussion B

  • Raducanu shot from 150th to No. 23 in the world rankings. If you were Raducanu, how would you feel (ex. excited, overwhelmed)? Do you think she can continue to win major championships, or was this likely a one-time triumph? Why? Discuss.
  • Raducanu became the first British woman to hoist a major trophy since 1977. If you were British, how would you feel (ex. proud, don’t really care)? What athletes or teams are a source of pride for your country? Why? Discuss.