Canada’s Bianca Andreescu continued her summer of victories by winning her first career Grand Slam title at the 2019 US Open. The teenage Canadian star upset the legendary Serena Williams in straight sets 6-3 7-5. Andreescu was confident on serve and broke Williams, who struggled with her own serve, a number of times. Despite Serena’s best efforts to gain a foothold in the match, she was always trailing after getting broken at the start. Andreescu, though short of experience in Grand Slam finals, played like a confident veteran, and followed up her home Rogers Cup title in Canada with a maiden slam a few weeks later in New York.
The first set was relatively straight forward after Andreescu secured the aforementioned break in the opening game. She held without incident until serving up 4-3, when she fended off a break point, having nearly broken Serena in a long game at 3-3. Andreescu would then go on to break Serena to take the first set 6-3 and then quickly gain what seemed to be complete control of the match going 6-3 2-0 up.
Williams would show tremendous fight, however, despite falling 5-1 down and facing a match point in the ensuing game. She managed to claw her way back level, taking advantage of the teenage Canadian’s nerves as she rallied to 5-5, showing the sort of belief that had previously been missing from her performance.
Andreescu then toughed out a hold for 6-5 and earn herself at least two shots at the title, and she only needed one more game, breaking Williams who once more faltered on serve, surrendering a break to give Andreescu a well deserved maiden Grand Slam.
Serena’s serve has been a constant problem in recent Grand Slam finals, the American legend had nearly as many double faults as aces in the match, and landed fewer than half of her first serves. That, paired with winning just a third of her second serve points made it impossible for her to win the match. By contrast, Andreescu landed two thirds of her first serves and won almost 65% of those first serve points, while saving five of eight break points (Williams faced 13 and saved 7).
Serena will continue her quest to break the Grand Slam record at the 2020 Australian Open. Serena has reached four Slam finals since her pregnancy and has lost all four without winning a set. Andreescu has a lot to look forward to as a top 10 WTA player and new Grand Slam champion. Fit and firing, she’s a threat in Melbourne and beyond. Andreescu is the first player born in the 2000s to win a Grand Slam (male or female).
It’s been quite a year for Canadian sports as well, with Andreescu making tennis history for Canada and the Toronto Raptors winning the NBA title.
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