Meet Bianca Andreescu — The 19-Year-Old Tennis Phenom Who Beat Serena Williams
She's Canadian.
Instagram A 19-year-old tennis player won the 2019 Rogers Cup Finals after Serena Williams pulled out of the game due to back spasms. Bianca Andreescu was leading the legendary tennis star 3-1 after four games. According to reports, Williams' back issues started Saturday night during her semifinal match victory over Marie Bouskova. The 23-time Grand Slam champion told the crowd in Toronto: “I’m sorry I couldn’t do it today, I tried. But I just I couldn’t do it. Thanks to Jehovah for letting me come out here. And Bianca, you’re a great sports woman. And thanks for my team. It’s been a tough year but we’ll keep going.” Andreescu replied: "Serena, you made me cry. I know how it is to pull out of tournaments, it’s not easy. This wasn’t the way I expected to win. You are truly a champion,” the Canadian added. “I’ve watched you win so many times, you are truly a champion on and off the court. I’m speechless right now. This has been a dream come true.” Who is Bianca Andreescu?
1. She's Canadian
Bianca Andreescu won the Rogers Cup in Toronto in front of her hometown crowed. She is the first Canadian to win the women's singles title in 50 years. She was born in 2000 in Mississauga, Ontario. Her parents are Romanian and emigrated to Canada shortly after graduating from college. The family moved back to Romania when Bianca was very young. A few years later, they moved back to Canada.
2. She started playing at 7
Bianca Andreescu started playing tennis when she was seven-years-old and living in Romania. A few year later, after the family had returned to Canada, she trained at the Ontario Racquet Club in Mississauga. At 11, she joined Canada's National Training Program in Toronto. Her favorite tennis players are Simona Halep and Kim Clijsters. It was Halep who encouraged Andreescu to turn pro at the 2016 Rogers Cup.
3. Her second major pro victory
Andreescu had a very successful and decorated junior career before turning pro in 2017. Her first major tournament victory as a professional tennis player was in March at Indian Wells. She took two months off after that to rehab a shoulder injury. She finished the 2018 season ranked 178th.
4. A winning season
Andreescu entered Sunday's Rogers Cup Finals ranked 27th in the world. Following her victory, she shot up to 14 in the rankings. She has gone 38-5 this season. Sunday's win is her 17th straight. She withdrew from a match, just like Serena did on Sunday, twice this season, due to injury.
5. She's fluent in Romanian
Andreescu currently lives in Toronto. Due to the amount of time she spent training and competing on the tennis court, she completed high school online. She was raised by her two Romanian grandmothers in Canada and is fluent in Romanian. Her nickname is Bibi.
6. She has big dreams
Bianca told the CBC: "I'm definitely not satisfied. This is an amazing win. This is very special to me. But I have very big dreams and I don't settle for anything less than what I want. I really hope that I can crack the top 10 now and play in the WTA Tour finals by the end of the year." She is set to compete at the U.S. Open later this month.
Amy Lamare is a Los Angeles based freelance writer covering entertainment, pop culture, beauty, fashion, fitness, technology, and the intersection of technology, business, and philanthropy. You can find her on Instagram and Facebook.