Andreescu vs Bencic: Future of Tennis
Powerful. Passionate. Confident. These are characteristics you can find in many tennis players on the WTA tour. They can easily be applied to the two women about to face off in the US Open semifinals: Bianca Andreescu and Belinda Bencic.
Andreescu overcame an early deficit in her quarterfinal to defeat 25th seeded Elise Mertens 3-6 6-2 6-3. Meanwhile, Bencic came out on top in a closely-contested matchup with Croatia’s Donna Vekic, 7-6 (5) 6-3.
With these victories, both Andreescu and Bencic reached their first Grand Slam semifinal. It’s easy to believe, however, that this will not be the last deep run in a Major for either woman.
Rise of Bianca Andreescu
At just 19 years old, Bianca Andreescu has taken the WTA Tour by storm in 2019. She turned heads after a dominant run to the Indian Wells title before injuries hindered her in the months after.
In the American summer, however, Andreescu has regained her health and her form. She won her second Masters title of the year in Toronto when Serena Williams retired in the final. Despite the retirement, Andreescu has consistently shown the ability to defeat top players with solid play and unmatched confidence and intensity.
Resurgence of Belinda Bencic
A few years ago, Belinda Bencic looked to be on a smooth trajectory to the top of the women’s tennis tour. She reached a career high No. 7 in early 2016 with superb baseline play. Shortly after, however, she succumbed to injuries and ended up requiring wrist surgery
She has spent the past few years battling her way back up the WTA rankings. With her most recent victory of Vekic (who defeated her at the French Open), Bencic will return to the top 10 for the first time in more than three years.
The Future of the WTA
With their best Grand Slam results to-date, these two WTA stars will battle for the chance to compete for the U.S. Open title. With how well both women have played so far, this match should be highly competitive, closely contested, and incredibly entertaining for the fans.
Regardless of who wins this Andreescu vs Bencic matchup, the victor will have another challenging test on their hands to win the US Open title. Serena Williams, enjoying a strong run to the semifinals, is set to square off against Elina Svitolina of Ukraine.
However, at just 19 and 22 years old, Andreescu and Bencic are two names that fans can expect to see in Grand Slam semifinals and finals in the future. Young stars like these (along with players like Naomi Osaka and Ash Barty) represent the present and future of the WTA. And all signs point to these women being at the top echelon of the game for a long, long time.
Main Photo from Getty.
