(Reuters) - There have been a few false dawns for British women’s tennis since Virginia Wade was famously serenaded by the Centre Court crowd after winning Wimbledon 44 years ago.

Since the 31-year-old Wade beat Dutch player Betty Stove no British woman had reached a Grand Slam final until Thursday when 18-year-old Emma Raducanu's mind-boggling run took her to the U.S. Open showpiece as a qualifier in her fourth Tour event.