When she was 16 years old, Bianca Andreescu wrote a check to her future self for the prize money associated with one day winning the US Open.
“I’ve been dreaming of this moment for the longest time,” said an emotional Andreescu after realizing that ambitious dream last weekend at Flushing Meadows.
“After I won the Orange Bowl, a couple of months after I really believed that I could be at this stage and since then honestly I’ve been visualizing it almost everyday,” continued Andreescu in her post match presser after defeating Serena Williams in straight sets.
“For it to become a reality is just so crazy. I guess these visualizations really, really work,” she added with a laugh.
Andreescu first picked up the sport of tennis at the age of seven.
And by the time she was 11 years old, she began to take the sport more seriously – as she joined Tennis Canada’s National Training Centre program in Toronto. Also known in short as the NTC program, the objective is to support talented Canadian juniors and help them reach their full potential on the tennis courts.
Besides Andreescu, the program has turned out stars such as Milos Raonic, Eugenie Bouchard, and Felix Auger-Aliassime.
Perhaps surprising to some, the newly crowned US Open champion started 2019 ranked 152nd in the world. But she would enjoy a break through run to the finals at the ASB Classic in Australia – eventually losing in three sets to Julia Georges in the championship match.
Then in March, Andreescu would record one of the biggest wins in Canadian tennis history when she captured the title at Indian Wells.
“It’s been a crazy ride. Truly a Cinderella story. Naomi did this last year. And now to be able to have my name in front of so many amazing champions – it means the world to me,” said the Canadian teen after claiming the Premier Mandatory event in California.
After winning the Rogers Cup in Toronto, Andreescu would once again follow in Osaka’s 2018 footsteps by winning the US Open.
After their entertaining championship match on Arthur Ashe Stadium, the 23-time Grand Slam champion had high praise for Andreescu.
“Bianca plays well under pressure. She played really well at Indian Wells. She was definitely not a favorite there, but she goes out and she plays hard,” noted the 37-year-old American tennis legend.
“She does what she does best, and that’s move up to the ball, that’s hit winners, that’s play with a ton of intensity,” added Williams, who is considered as arguably the greatest female tennis player of all time.
The 19-year-old Canadian plans to maintain that same intensity as she strives to achieve her own unique version of greatness.
“I have pretty big expectations from myself. I’ve accomplished a lot in this past year and I feel like I can do even more,” she said during a press conference at the Aviva Centre upon her return to Canada.
“I’m just going to keep striving and hopefully win many more Grand Slams from now on,” added Andreescu, who also aims one day to be world No. 1.
Since her US Open victory, Andreescu has appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, LIVE with Kelly and Ryan, and The View. In addition, Andreescu has received congratulatory messages from Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Shania Twain, and Drake – just to name a few.
The mature and thoughtful 19-year-old understands in the big scheme of things that all the attention her success has generated will go a long way to inspire more children to pick up the sport in Canada.
Andreescu also hopes her success will inspire some of her talented young Canadian peers to elevate their games to the next level. Specifically, she points to her close friends Felix Auger-Aliassime and Denis Shapovalov.
“They’ve sent me really nice messages. They say that they are proud of me and that this win actually gives them motivation to keep striving and doing better. So coming from them that means a lot,” Andreescu pointed out.
“I’m sure they’re going to do such big things in this sport. They already have, but I know they’re hungry for more.”
While there may not have been many who would have predicted such massive success to come so soon for Andreescu, the 5′ 6″ teenager announced emphatically at the U.S. Open that she has arrived.
And with that, her 16-year-old self – as well as everyone else – now has clear confirmation and validation that the future is now.
Main Photo from Getty.
