And Canada's Leylah Fernandez: "I have been having a lot of fun, enjoying it, and I can't wait for today. We are going to go out there and have fun, it is going to be a good match and we will see how it goes."

Here is Emma Raducanu: "I believe in myself in general and the time has flown in New York, taking it one match at a time and it has got me to the final. I am going to go out there and enjoy it."

In what has been a monumental sporting year, who would have thought beforehand the highlight would potentially be a British teenager winning the women's US Open final?!

Emma Raducanu is looking relaxed and ready to head out, the stage is set...

Former British number one Tim Henman, speaking on Amazon Prime: "I'm definitely feeling a bit tight! Fortunately it's not about me going out there and playing. Emma has done such a fantastic job controlling her emotions and she has taken everything in her stride.

"It's great that she's had three experiences out of Ashe, so she's used to the envirnoment and the pace of the court. She had a really good practice today. I watched her and she looks relaxed and ready to go.

"It's been so much fun to watch her. When I got sent out courtside, it was great to see her level of play and I've enjoyed the journey. When she's on the big stage, to be right next to court, I think it's the best seat in the house. It's been perfect."

Image source, Getty Images

Becoming only the fourth British woman to reach a major final in the Open Era, an even more remarkable aspect of Emma Raducanu's run to the final is that she is yet to lose a single set in nine matches at the 2021 US Open - including six main-draw ties on her overseas Grand Slam debut.

Having only played her first WTA event in June, Raducanu has conceded just 27 games across her 18 sets of tennis in New York - that despite coming up against Maria Sakkari, Olympic champion Belinda Bencic, plus three other top-50 players.

"I think honestly being young, there is an element of you do play completely free," Raducanu said.

"But I'm sure that when I'm older or have more experience the same will happen to me. I think the tables will turn. Some younger players will come through.

"Honestly, right now I'm just thinking of the game plan, how to execute. That's what's landed me in this situation. It hasn't been focusing on who's expected to win this match or that one. I think it's just taking care of the day. That's what I'm doing quite well at the moment.

"I don't feel any pressure to win. Any pressure is self-inflicted. I have expectations of my level and how I want to perform but there's no pressure in terms of results."

Before the final tonight there will be a ceremony to remember those who lost their lives in the September 11 terror attacks, 20 years ago today.

Image source, EPA

Pat Cash
Former Wimbledon champion on BBC Radio 5 Live

Fernandez has played under big pressure in big matches and managed to deal with it. Emma hasn't had any pressure at all. Will she play her first tie-breaker in the two weeks? What will happen? We just don't know. The flip side is Raducanu has been playing so well she might not get to that situation.

It will be on who deals with the situation the best.

Image source, Getty Images

Of course Leylah Fernandez, who is just two months older than Emma Raducanu and turned 19 this week, has been living her own dream at Flushing Meadows.

She, too, has been showered with congratulations, and among the messages from the prime minister and top sports people, there was this bit of advice from Canadian ice hockey captain Marie-Philip Poulin: "Make sure to have that maple syrup before the final!"

Fernandez's matches have been stickier affairs than Raducanu's, with four of the six going to three sets and featuring five tie-breaks. The Briton, by contrast, has not dropped a set or faced even a tie-break.

But Fernandez's opponents have been bigger names and her demeanour on court is also different to Raducanu's.

The left-handed Canadian loves fist-pumping and revving the crowd up to get behind her, while Raducanu cuts a serene figure.

The pair, who were both born in Canada to immigrant parents, have grown up playing in the juniors together, facing each other in the second round of junior Wimbledon in 2018.

Raducanu won that match 6-2 6-4. But so much has changed for both players since then that it cannot possibly be a gauge of what Saturday will bring.

Demo83: Getting ready to watch the final. Let’s go!

Image source, Twitter

Russell Fuller
Tennis correspondent in New York on BBC Radio 5 Live

There is a feeling of tension, at least in my stomach. Emma Raducanu practiced earlier with her left-handed coach. That is very handy with Leylah Fernandez being left-handed.

Scott Thompson: As a Canadian with an English mother and duel citizenship, born in the city Leylah trains in, and living in the city Emma was born in, its an ideal final for me as a fan! I can’t lose! Remarkable tournament ladies!

Laura Robson
Former British number one on BBC Radio 5 Live

I just can't believe the level of tennis Emma has played at. It is a bit of a combination of her higher ranked opponents being nervous and Emma enjoying the moment.

It is an entirely different match-up tonight against someone she probably feels she should win against.

Emma Raducanu's potential was clear from an early age, with a third-place finish at the prestigious Junior Orange Bowl tournament - a competition where she first encountered US Open final opponent Fernandez.

She won UK national titles as an under-nine, under-12 and under-16, claimed her first ITF junior title at 13 and reached the quarter-finals of the girls competition at Wimbledon in 2018.

It was at junior Wimbledon in 2018 that Raducanu most recently faced Leylah Fernandez, defeating the Canadian in straight sets.

Chanda Rubin
American former world number six on BBC Radio 5 Live

It is going to be an really interesting match. I would have to give Emma Raducanu the slight edge.

Russell Fuller
BBC tennis correspondent

Emma Raducanu is here with coach Andrew Richardson, LTA physio Will Herbert and her IMG agent Chris Helliar. Iain Bates, the LTA's head of women's tennis, is also in New York and because Richardson is left-handed, he has been the nominated right-handed server in practice.

He has not seen so much of her in the evenings, though.

"It's not been a huge amount. She's very much kept herself to herself," he says.

"I had dinner with Andrew a couple of times, and her agent a couple of times, but not with Emma - she's just been doing whatever she's been doing in her hotel room and keeping herself to herself."

Support has also been provided by Tim Henman, who is working for television in New York, and Andy Murray, who has been watching avidly from the UK. Raducanu also spoke backstage to Virginia Wade after her fourth round victory.

Little did she know then that she would soon become the first British woman to reach a Grand Slam final since Wade at Wimbledon in 1977.

Joseph McGarry: This is Emma Raducanu’s world and we’re just living in it.

Daran Philipson: Emma Raducanu, good luck!!! You’ve made the UK country proud.

Monty Moncrieff MBE: I'm an emotional wreck already and the match hasn't even started yet. I'd love to see Emma Raducanu become the first women's US Open champion in my lifetime. But Fernandez's run has been just as pleasing to watch so it's win-win tonight. What a tournament!

Emma Raducanu only made her WTA Tour main draw debut at the Nottingham Open in June, where she was beaten by compatriot Harriet Dart in the first round.

That followed a period without any competition due to the UK lockdowns caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

For 15 months, the development tours underneath the main WTA Tour were put on hold but, even with her A-Level exams on the horizon, Raducanu would not let that get in her way.

"During lockdown she was always playing outside against the garages. The weather didn't stop her either - she was out there rain or shine," one neighbour said, external.

It's paid off, quite literally. Raducanu had collected $303,376 (£219,184) in prize money prior to this tournament, compared to the $4.4m (£3.1m) earned by semi-final opponent Maria Sakkari.

She will, however, earn $1,250,000 (£1m) for reaching the final in New York - a figure which could rise to $2,500,000 (£2.1m) if she wins the tournament.