Bianca Andreescu: Canada’s newest star shines on the biggest stage

Bianca Andreescu is able to do what no Canadian single’s player has ever done before, win a Grand slam championship with enormous pressure on her shoulders.

Just over five years ago, all of Canada united behind a young woman who had taken the tennis world by storm.

Eugenie Bouchard had made the Wimbledon Final, despite only being 20-years-old.

The entire nation was behind her, but Bouchard faltered in that final, losing in straight sets to Petra Kvitova.

More from Tip of the Tower

• Cam Phillips making his mark on Toronto Argonauts offence
• Toronto Argonauts: 4 storylines ahead of matchup against Redblacks
• Federico Bernardeschi ready for new challenge with Toronto FC
• Toronto Argonauts overcome Roughriders in entertaining Touchdown Atlantic
• Buffalo Bills: Von Miller drawing inspiration from Bruce Smith

Two years later, Canadians were once again rallying behind a young tennis star. Milos Raonic had made the men’s final at Wimbledon, and it was now his turn to achieve what no Canadian had ever done before – win a single’s grand slam championship.

Milos was older than Bouchard had been, (26 to 20), and his career was more secure. It was thought he would put up more of a fight. But Milos fell in straight sets as well, and Canadian tennis saw its second generational talent crumble on the biggest stage.

Somehow, in all this disappointment, Bianca Andreescu emerged. Born in Mississauga, Andreescu moved briefly to her parent’s home in Romania before returning to Canada.

It was upon her return that her career truly began to take off.

Bianca played her first WTA event in 2017, officially turning pro and beginning her march up the world rankings. Her wild card berth in the Citi Open in Washington D.C. put the world on notice, as she upset Kristina Mladenovic to become the first woman born in the 2000s to defeat a top 20 player. Tennis Canada began to take note, and in the stories written at the time, the comparisons to Eugenie Bouchard began.

Where the pressure seemed too much for Bouchard, Andreescu seemed to relish it.

Where Bouchard continued to fail to make the second week of a grand slam (traditionally the round of 16), Andreescu began to make her way farther and farther into tournaments.

And somewhere along the way, as Bouchard struggled and finished her 2018 grand slam season with a mere three wins, Canadian tennis fans tuned out the old star, and instead began to focus on the young star.

Bianca’s 2018 season was hindered by injuries, and when she returned to competition it was unclear where the bar should be set for 2019. She was only 18, after all, and would be playing the grand slams without having to qualify for the first time. What could realistically be expected?

Nine months and three titles later, Canadians across the country now know what Canadian tennis fans have known for years, that one of the sports’ most promising up and coming stars is home-grown, supremely talented, and overflowing with potential.

It’s not just the achievements and accolades that set Bianca apart, it’s how she earns them.

She defeated three-time grand slam champion Angelique Kerber at Indian Wells, won of the biggest tournaments in the world that does not own grand-slam status. She followed that up by winning the Canadian Open, beating Serena Williams in the final after the 23-time grand slam champion retired due to injury.

But it was in this U.S. Open final that Andreescu emphatically set herself apart, defeating Serena Williams in straight sets, when the entire stadium screamed for her to fail.

She faced the same atmosphere Milos Raonic had when he met Andy Murray at Wimbledon and did not flinch. She faced the same jitters and expectations Eugenie had in 2014, yet persevered.

And in doing so, she did something that a Canadian has never been able to do before.

Many words were said yesterday about Andreescu’s achievement, and many titles were bestowed upon Canada’s latest sweetheart. TSN quickly named her “Queen of Queens”. Many tokened her “Queen of the North”, tying her to the Raptors recent success that has meant a memorable year for Canadian sports. And some also through around the idea that her victory was a top-five sports moment of all time.

Wherever it falls in Canada’s all-time story, Andreescu’s victory at flushing meadows is, without doubt, the greatest accomplishment in Canadian tennis ever, and she already becomes the most historic singles player in the nation’s history.

Such a title would put unwanted pressure on such a young athlete. We’ve seen it happen.

But somehow, I think Bianca Andreescu will be alright. If she can stare down the greatest of all time, at her “home” grand slam, and win in straight sets, titles and expectations won’t scare her.

She’s already the greatest in Canadian history. Now, at 19, let’s see how high she can rise in the sports’ history.

One thing is clear – wherever Bianca’s career takes her, Canada will always be behind her.