{"id":230020,"date":"2019-09-08T22:23:42","date_gmt":"2019-09-09T02:23:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/?p=230020"},"modified":"2019-09-16T02:05:50","modified_gmt":"2019-09-16T06:05:50","slug":"andreescu-becomes-first-canadian-to-win-grand-slam-with-u-s-open-win","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/2019\/09\/08\/andreescu-becomes-first-canadian-to-win-grand-slam-with-u-s-open-win\/","title":{"rendered":"Andreescu becomes first Canadian to win Grand Slam with U.S. Open win"},"content":{"rendered":"<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/B2LF8zPgWdu\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"12\" style=\" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);\">\n<div style=\"padding:16px;\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/B2LF8zPgWdu\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;\" target=\"_blank\"> <\/p>\n<div style=\" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;\">\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 19% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;\"><svg width=\"50px\" height=\"50px\" viewBox=\"0 0 60 60\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"><g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><g transform=\"translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)\" fill=\"#000000\"><g><path d=\"M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631\"><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/g><\/svg><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-top: 8px;\">\n<div style=\" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;\"> View this post on Instagram<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\">\n<div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\">\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: auto;\">\n<div style=\" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a> <\/p>\n<p style=\" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/B2LF8zPgWdu\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;\" target=\"_blank\">SHOOK<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;\">A post shared by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/biancaandreescu_\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px;\" target=\"_blank\"> Bianca<\/a> (@biancaandreescu_) on <time style=\" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;\" datetime=\"2019-09-09T02:15:10+00:00\">Sep 8, 2019 at 7:15pm PDT<\/time><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>NEW YORK \u2014\u00a0Bianca\u00a0Andreescu\u00a0was posing for photos with coach Sylvain Bruneau after her U.S. Open championship victory when someone pointed out that Bruneau was holding his coach&#8217;s trophy backwards.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI&#8217;m not used to this,\u201d he said sheepishly.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cGet used to it,\u201d\u00a0Andreescu\u00a0replied with a smile.<\/p>\n<p>The 19-year-old from Mississauga, Ont., played a statement match Saturday, downing tennis great Serena Williams 6-3, 7-5 to become the first Canadian to win a Grand Slam singles title.<\/p>\n<p>She the North is here to stay.<\/p>\n<p>And now that she&#8217;s tasted success at a major, she&#8217;s hungry for more.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy goals have been just to win as many Grand Slams as possible, become No. 1 in the world,\u201d\u00a0Andreescu\u00a0said. \u201cThe idea of fame never really crossed my mind \u2014 I&#8217;m not complaining though \u2014 It&#8217;s been a crazy ride this year.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI can definitely get used to this feeling.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Andreescu\u00a0used her powerful forehand \u2014 and was helped by a slew of uncharacteristically bad serves from the veteran Williams \u2014 to win the U.S. Open in her first main draw appearance at Flushing Meadows.<\/p>\n<p>The Canadian sprawled belly-up on the court after breaking Williams with a forehand return on championship point. Then she got up, climbed a ladder to get to her players&#8217; box and embraced Bruneau and her mom and dad.<\/p>\n<p>Seeded No. 15 at the major,\u00a0Andreescu\u00a0will reach a career high No. 5 when the new WTA rankings are released Monday. She also earned US$3.85 million for the victory and improved to 8-0 against top 10 opponents \u2014 all this year.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI&#8217;ve been dreaming of this moment for the longest time,\u201d\u00a0Andreescu\u00a0said, pausing to cover her face as tears began to well in her eyes.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor it to become a reality is just so crazy.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>It wasn&#8217;t a pretty match for Williams, who struggled on her serve throughout.<\/p>\n<p>But the 23-time Grand Slam champion showed fight late, staving off two championship points and breaking\u00a0Andreescu\u00a0on back-to-back service games to tie the set 5-5 and send the crowd of 26,191 at Arthur Ashe Stadium into a frenzy.<\/p>\n<p>Williams, who had dominated throughout the last two weeks in New York, called Saturday&#8217;s match her worst performance of the Grand Slam.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI love\u00a0Bianca, I think she&#8217;s a great girl, but I think this is the worst match I&#8217;ve played all tournament,\u201d she said. \u201cIt&#8217;s hard to know that you could do better. &#8230; I don&#8217;t even know what to say.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The No. 8-seeded Williams won her first U.S. Open title here 20 years ago \u2014 before\u00a0Andreescu\u00a0was born \u2014 and the New York crowd was hoping the 37-year-old could add another championship to her lengthy list of accomplishments.<\/p>\n<p>While there was a loud applause when\u00a0Andreescu\u00a0was introduced before the match, the ovation for Williams was deafening.<\/p>\n<p>Andreescu\u00a0said she had to fight off the crowd noise at times, especially when she saw her 5-1 lead evaporate in the second set.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI could barely hear myself think, it was really, really loud,\u201d\u00a0Andreescu\u00a0said. \u201cBut I guess that&#8217;s what makes this tournament so special.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Saturday&#8217;s match lasted 1 hour 40 minutes, about 80 minutes longer than their last meeting, at the Rogers Cup final in Toronto last month.<\/p>\n<p>Andreescu, competing in Toronto after missing two months of the season with a shoulder injury, won that title when Williams retired with back spasms. The Canadian was leading 3-1.<\/p>\n<p>Andreescu\u00a0began 2019 ranked No. 152 and reached a career high No. 15 heading into the U.S. Open after a stellar season that included her first two titles.<\/p>\n<p>She has been one of the best Canadian sports stories of the year, garnering praise from the likes of Wayne Gretzky, Sidney Crosby, Steve Nash, and Kia Nurse. Even Billie Jean King, whose name adorns the tennis centre where the U.S. Open is played, has tweeted about\u00a0Andreescu\u00a0multiple times.<\/p>\n<p>She&#8217;s been lauded for the way she plays \u2014 whether its clawing her way back from deficits, keeping opponents off-balance with her versatility, or hitting the cover off balls with her nasty forehand.<\/p>\n<p>Kind of like Williams, in many ways. But\u00a0Andreescu\u00a0is wary of that comparison.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think there are some similarities,\u201d she said. \u201cWe like to keep the points short with our aggressive game style, we like to use our serve to our advantage, I think we fight really, really hard.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBut at the same time I want to make a name for myself. I know I have a different game style than many players on tour right now.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Andreescu\u00a0showed her aggressive style throughout the last two weeks in New York, downing four seeded players (No. 19 Caroline Wozniacki, No. 25 Elise Merten, No. 13 Belinda Bencic and Williams) to become the first teenager to win the U.S. Open since Maria Sharapova in 2006.<\/p>\n<p>And she attacked Williams&#8217;s serve from the beginning, breaking twice in the first set. Williams did herself no favours by double-faulting eight times throughout the match.<\/p>\n<p>Williams, whose disappointment was etched on her face during parts of the match, remains one major victory short of tying Margaret Court&#8217;s record 24 titles.<\/p>\n<p>She is also still looking for her first championship \u2014 major or otherwise \u2014 after returning from the birth of her daughter. Williams had won the 2017 Australian Open while pregnant and returned to the WTA tour at Indian Wells in March of 2018.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI&#8217;m not necessarily chasing a record, I&#8217;m just trying to win Grand Slams,\u201d Williams said. \u201cIt&#8217;s definitely frustrating, but for the most part I am still here. I&#8217;m still doing what I can do.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Andreescu\u00a0was the first Canadian woman to play in a Grand Slam final since Eugenie Bouchard competed for the Wimbledon title in 2014.<\/p>\n<p>#SheTheNorth was trending on Twitter during and after the match and\u00a0Andreescu&#8217;s achievement was recognized by many on Twitter, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.<\/p>\n<p>The 2019 NBA Champion Toronto Raptors, who use &#8216;We The North&#8217; as their team hashtag, also congratulated\u00a0Andreescu\u00a0with a tweet that read &#8216;She The Champ&#8217; accompanied by a photo of an\u00a0Andreescu\u00a0Raptors jersey laying next to the Larry O&#8217;Brien trophy.<\/p>\n<p>Andreescu\u00a0said she hopes her U.S. Open win can help inspire other Canadian athletes.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSo many Canadian athletes have paved the way for me when I was young,\u201d she said. \u201cHopefully I can be that person to them.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>View this post on Instagram SHOOK A post shared by Bianca (@biancaandreescu_) on Sep 8, 2019 at 7:15pm PDT NEW &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":44,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1145,54365,44],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-230020","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-headline","category-instagram","category-sports","mauthors-melissa-couto","mauthors-the-canadian-press"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/230020","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/44"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=230020"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/230020\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":230022,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/230020\/revisions\/230022"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=230020"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=230020"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=230020"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}