Audacious Canadian teen Bianca Andreescu sending shock waves through world of women’s tennis Globe_Sports
Bianca Andreescu obliterated Garbine Muguruza, a two-time Grand Slam champion, in the quarter-finals, 6-0, 6-1.Heading into the quarter-finals at Indians Wells, Calif., earlier in the week, there was a sense that Bianca Andreescu had already left her mark at the tournament. The Canadian teenager, a wild-card entry into the BNP Paribas Open, turned heads as she stormed through the first four rounds, dropping only a single set. She’d knocked off a pair of top-50 players along the way.
She reached the ASB Classic final in Auckland, beating former world No. 1s Caroline Wozniacki and Venus Williams on back-to-back nights. She won her first WTA title at a US$125,000 Challenger in Newport Beach, Calif. She then made her second WTA semi-final in Acapulco, which earned her a wild card to Indian Wells. The only other wild cards to make the semis at Indian Wells were Serena Williams and Martina Hingis.
“I can remember watching other Canadians make their big breakouts and saying, ‘Hey Mom, when is it going to happen for me?’ Remember that mom?” says Andreescu, as her mother nods with a smile. “Hey, believe me, I know not every day is going to be rainbows and butterflies like this. There are ups and downs; that’s part of tennis. But I’m up for the challenge.
Her parents recall a highly active little girl who was relentlessly on the move, running, jumping and showing off on the monkey bars. They put her in activities where she could burn energy, such as soccer, skating, swimming, dance and karate. At 13, Andreescu became the third Canadian – after Gabriela Dabrowski and Edward Nguyen – to win Les Petits As in France, one of the world’s premier junior tennis tournaments for youth.“I had played a little in high school and university. I could hit the ball. So I bet her $50,” her father says.She began travelling for tournaments, often on her own with fellow players and coaches while her parents remained home to work.“I’m an only child and I don’t mind being alone.
Andreescu distinguished herself from the pack by returning to Plantation, Fla., the next year to win the U18 title as a 15-year-old. She upset a higher-seeded American girl – Kayla Day – who had handed her a straight-sets loss one month earlier in Mexico. It was a rare back-to-back Orange Bowl feat also accomplished by Chris Evert and Mary Joe Fernandez.
Andreescu spent some time working with former French star, Wimbledon finalist and World No. 3 Nathalie Tauziat, who had also coached Bouchard. Tennis Canada wanted her to stay training and living in Toronto with her family as long as she could, so she went to the National Training Centre in Montreal a year later than most teen talents do. She arrived there in the fall of 2017.
But last season was not smooth sailing. She struggled with injuries – especially back pain. She was taken off the court in a wheelchair after retiring with severe cramps at the Fed Cup. She didn’t make it through qualifying at any Grand Slams. Her ranking fluctuated. “At the end of the camp, she told me, ‘I’ve never felt so good, I feel so confident,’ ” Bruneau said.
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