After Emma Raducanu beat fellow teenager Leylah Fernandez 6-4 6-3 to end Britain's 44-year wait for a women's Grand Slam singles champion The Queen led the congratulations to her after the 18-year-old clinched the US Open title with a stunning victory in New York.
"I send my congratulations to you on your success," the Queen said. "It is a remarkable achievement at such a young age, and is testament to your hard work and dedication."
In a statement, the monarch added: "I have no doubt your outstanding performance, and that of your opponent Leylah Fernandez, will inspire the next generation of tennis players."
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson tweeted: "What a sensational match! Huge congratulations to Emma Raducanu. You showed extraordinary skill, poise and guts and we are all hugely proud of you." It was a historic night for British sport's newest star - the youngest Grand Slam champion since Maria Sharapova in 2004 – which led pundits to predict big things and seemingly brought the UK to a standstill...
Virginia Wade, who was present at Arthur Ashe Stadium to witness Raducanu's win, was the last British woman to win a Grand Slam singles title - at Wimbledon in 1977. And, in an unprecedented run Raducanu became the first qualifier to win a major and has done so without dropping a set.
Tennis legend Martina Navratilova said: "A star is born. Emma Raducanu makes history and she is just getting started." Former British number one Greg Rusedski added: "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."
Raducanu, whose run to the fourth round at Wimbledon earlier this summer is her only other Grand Slam appearance, will take home £1.8m in prize money and rise from 150th to 23rd in the world rankings. She won the title with a classy performance in a high-calibre match against Canada's Fernandez that lasted almost two hours in Flushing Meadows, in Queens, New York.
By the end it appears as if it had the UK gripped, with many people tweeting to ask for Match of the Day to be delayed. Presenter Gary Lineker tweeted: "First time in my life I've ever tweeted whilst on air but my goodness what a performance, what a triumph, what an amazing young woman."
She was playing in just her second Grand Slam, having reached the fourth round of Wimbledon as a wildcard earlier this year.
Raducanu is the youngest female major champion since Maria Sharapova won Wimbledon in 2004 and the youngest Briton ever to win a Slam title.
"It shows the future of women's tennis and depth of the game is so great - every player in the draw has a shot at winning any tournament," she said in her on-court interview. I hope the next generation can follow in the steps of some of the legends, for example Billie Jean [King] right here.
" I'm still only 18 and I'm just having a free swing at anything that comes my way. That's how I faced every match here in the States.
“Yeah, it got me this trophy, so I don't think I should change anything."
"I fell somehow and thought that would throw me off balance - I was praying not for a double fault!" Raducanu said. "The level was extremely high and I hope we play each other in many more tournaments and hopefully finals."
Raducanu came through 10 matches to win the title, including three qualifying rounds, and beat Olympic champion Belinda Bencic and in-form Maria Sakkari in the quarter and semi-finals respectively.
