Bianca Andreescu shocked Serena Williams to claim her first Grand Slam title thanks to a 6-3 7-5 victory at the US Open.
The Canadian teenager, who won the recent Rogers Cup after also claiming glory in the spring at Indian Wells, upset the expectant local crowd at the Arthur Ashe Stadium, with the home hope attempting to equal Margaret Court’s record of 24 major titles.
While Williams looked nervy, Andreescu relished the stage and despite blowing a double break in the second, recovered to take the victory on her third match point. The 19-year-old fell to the ground after securing glory at Flushing Meadows and became the first teenager to win a Grand Slam since Maria Sharapova won in New York in 2006.
For Williams, she has now lost her last four Grand Slam finals and is in danger of missing out on matching Court’s benchmark.
However, the future looks bright for Andreescu who paid tribute to her rival post-match. “This year has been a dream come true,” she told the crowd. “I am beyond grateful and truly blessed. I’ve worked really hard for this moment. To play on this stage against Serena – a true legend of the sport – is amazing.”
