Four years ago, then 15-year-old junior tennis player Bianca Andreescu wrote herself a $3.3 million check and declared herself the winner of the U.S. Open.
“I just kept visualizing this moment and I just never let up and kept fighting for my dreams.”
On Saturday, Andreescu’s dreams became reality as she defeated tennis superstar Serena Williams in straight sets 6-3, 7-5 to win the U.S. Open women’s championship at Arthur Ashe Stadium in Flushing Meadows, NY.
The giddy 19-year-old collected the winner’s trophy and the top prize of $3.85 million.
Williams feared Andreescu would be an obstacle to tying Margaret Court’s major singles titles record.
During a post-workout interview with ESPN a week ago, Williams pointed to Andreescu’s name on the board and predicted the youngster would advance to the U.S. Open final.
On Saturday Andreescu quickly jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the opening game of the 1st set.
After dropping the first set 3-6, Williams turned to her box, where bestie Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, sat with her coach, and wailed, “I can’t get my serve in!”
The NY crowd roared as Williams rallied from 1-5 down in the 2nd set to even the set at 5-all.
With Williams serving at 5-6, Andreescu crushed a forehand winner into the corner to end Williams’s quest for a record-tying 24th Grand Slam singles title.
Andreescu is the first Canadian – man or woman – to win a Grand Slam title.
During the post-match interview with ESPN, the giggling teen recalled writing that imaginary US Open check to herself four years ago.
When asked if she wrote herself a check for “3 point whatever million,” Andreescu laughed and said, “Well, back then it wasn’t that much.”
Andreescu was ranked No. 208 just a year ago. She didn’t even qualify to play in the U.S. Open last year.
But after sitting out 3 months with an injured shoulder, Andreescu returned to dominate the women’s pro tour.
Andreescu got everyone’s attention when she knocked off 8 of the world’s top 10 women players on her way to a 8-0 record in just eight months.
Andreescu’s impressive victories include a default win in the Rogers Cup championship in Toronto last month when Williams retired with a back injury while down 1-3 in the 1st set.
It was the first Rogers Cup title for a Canadian in 50 years.
Court was not in attendance to watch Williams make another run at her major singles record. The Australian will not be invited back to the US Open after comments she made about the homosexual community in 2017.
Tennis legend Billie Jean King, who is openly lesbian, was fully supportive of Court’s banishment and Williams making history.
“It’ll be great if she won this and went on to Australia and broke [the record]. That’s my prayer,” said King before the final match in the tennis center that bears her name.
