Share this Story: SIMMONS: Navratilova and Evert big believers in Mississauga's Bianca Andreescu SIMMONS: Navratilova and Evert big believers in Mississauga's Bianca Andreescu Article content The world is just beginning to open up for Bianca Andreescu. The possibilities, in truth, are almost endless, and likely historical for the emerging Mississauga tennis star. We apologize, but this video has failed to load. tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or SIMMONS: Navratilova and Evert big believers in Mississauga's Bianca Andreescu Back to video This isn’t like Daniel Nestor beating the No. 1 player in the world, Stefan Edberg, at Davis Cup 27 years ago in Vancouver. That was one Canadian night, one moment to remember. This isn’t like Genie Bouchard’s jump to No. 5 in the world in 2014 when all the draws and the breaks seemed to go her way. This isn’t like Milos Raonic and his impenetrable serve and the wondering about whether the rest of his game and body can keep up with his power. And as much as there is excitement about the growth in young Denis Shapovalov’s game, he has yet to have tournament success anywhere close to what Andreescu ended up earning last week at Indian Wells. This is about today and about tomorrow. And about next year and the year after for the 18-year-old. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content There is a place for Andreescu to climb to, especially after winning on Sunday, beating the three-time Grand Slam champion Angelique Kerber, winning a women’s tournament in a sport where no single woman has completely dominated since Serena Williams won eight of 13 Grand Slams between 2012 and 2015. Since then, 15 Slams have been played with nine different players winning. There is no one dominant player in the women’s game. There is no Big Three — three all-time greats, the way the men’s game has been dominated for too long. And there’s a place for Andreescu to make her mark in the professional game. This was not a one-match fluke win for Andreescu at Indian Wells. That can happen in tennis sometimes, usually for a match or a day, but rarely for longer than that. Pretty much anybody can beat anybody once at that level. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content It’s what happens in the next match and the match after that truly matters. But on her way to Championship Sunday, Andreescu beat Garbine Muguruza, the former Wimbledon and French Open champion, and took out Elina Svitolina, who has been No.3 in the world, before the title win over Kerber, who has been No. 1 in the world before. All this coming after Andreescu was a wild-card entry into the tournament. That doesn’t happen much in big-time tennis. But it leaves a mark as her name becomes national and should soon grow to household status. A big win can leave an impression on the tennis world, the way Shapovalov’s win over Rafael Nadal at the Rogers Cup managed a few summers back. At the time, John McEnroe predicted there would be a major in Shapovalov’s future — and there may still be one. But there hasn’t been much indication from the early returns that Shapovalov is ready to play with the best in the men’s game. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content McEnroe didn’t comment on Andreescu’s win, but both Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova did. “Every time we thought, ‘This is it, she doesn’t have the game or she doesn’t have the belief or the legs,’ she just kept proving us wrong,” said Navratilova on British television. “It was a coming-of-age tournament. Bianca really came out of nowhere and she deserved to win. She played amazing tennis. This one is here to stay. I’m looking forward to seeing her develop into an even better tennis player.” Said Evert: “What really impressed me here was when she called her coach to come down. “She said, ‘I’m exhausted,’ but then said, ‘I really want to win this badly.’ I’ve never heard a women’s player say that to a coach before.” Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content Andreescu was ready to quit, physically beaten up, feet in pain, and somehow she wouldn’t allow herself to succumb. “I won’t forget that,” Evert said. Now she becomes part of the list we follow in a country that used to ignore tennis. For a while it was Nestor and doubles tennis and that was about it. Then it’s Raonic and his serve, hoping his health would be right. Then Shapovalov, who is impossible to take your eyes off of. Then young Felix Auger-Aliassime, and all that athleticism. And on the women’s side, there was Bouchard and the constant questions about whether she can ever be truly relevant again. More Canadians than ever before we’ve had to think about or care about. This week, it’s Andreescu in Miami, coming off the win at Indian Wells, a victory at a tournament beyond anything Raonic or Bouchard have ever won before. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content And with that, leaving a huge impression: She’s not one-dimensional. She’s not a giant serve or an athletic backhand or tremendous with speed. She’s a tennis player with way more game than her age, with a natural aggression, with a giant forehand and a touch-like drop shot. With a bag full of tricks, she plays mature tennis as a teenager. This shouldn’t be one-and-done tennis. She even shocked her coach, Sylvain Bruneau, who called her win at Indian Wells “a little above my expectations.” She shocked her coach, shocked those of us who were paying attention. This is just the beginning for Bianca Andreescu. The future is hers — and ours. ssimmons@postmedia.com twitter.com/simmonssteve Share this article in your social network<doc-sep>Open this photo in gallery Bianca Andreescu plays a backhand against Germany's Angelique Kerber during their women's singles final on Day 14 of the BNP Paribas Open on March 17, 2019, in Indian Wells, Calif. Clive Brunskill/Getty Images Bianca Andreescu has turned Carling Bassett-Seguso back on to Canadian women’s tennis. Andreescu won her first WTA Tour event Sunday when she upset eighth-seeded Angelique Kerber of Germany – the defending Wimbledon champion – 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 to win the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif. The 18-year-old from Mississauga, Ont., became the first wild-card entry to capture the tournament title and first teen to do so since American Serena Williams in 1999 and 2001. Andreescu has been the talk of women’s tennis this season, having won 28-of-31 matches. The Canadian began 2019 ranked No. 152, but has jettisoned up to No. 24 in the world as of Monday. Story continues below advertisement Audacious Canadian teen Bianca Andreescu sending shock waves through world of women’s tennis Andreescu still has some work to do to join Bassett-Seguso and Eugenie Bouchard as the only Canadians to crack the top-10 women’s rankings. Bassett-Seguso reached that lofty plateau in March 1985 when she was ranked No. 8 overall, but has no doubt that Andreescu’s best tennis remains in front of her. “I think she’s going to continue to improve,” Bassett-Seguso said from Florida on Monday during a telephone interview. “This girl seems like she has building blocks. “She’s making me watch again. This obviously brings a lot of excitement and awareness (to Canadian tennis) and she seems like she’s a really solid girl so I think it’s great. I wish her all the best, I’m right in her corner.” Bassett-Seguso has some friendly advice for Andreescu: Stick with what’s working. “At the end of the day, it all comes down to the passion of what you’re doing and being happiest doing it,” she said. “If you’re not passionate about it, then it becomes a job … I mean, the world is her oyster now, just be happy doing it. “Just continue doing what she’s doing. It seems like what she’s doing is working … listen, don’t mess with it. Once you start thinking, that’s when the mistakes start coming. It’s got to be repetitive, it’s got to have motion. Once it doesn’t work any more, that’s when you change that motion.” Bassett-Seguso has no concerns about Andreescu being able to handle the spotlight and attention she now commands. Story continues below advertisement “She’s done her due diligence coming up to this,” Bassett-Seguso said. “Eighteen is a good age because she’s done the whole junior thing and gone to tournaments in places like Japan where there’s the whole language thing and you’re away from home. “She obviously has a good head on her shoulders because she’s only 18 and going from Japan right through the (BNP tournament) draw just shows you right there she’s really done what she’s needed to do. If I were to put my money on it, I’d think she’s going to do just fine.” Bassett-Seguso, 51, won two WTA singles events and a pair of doubles titles during her career and in 1984 reached the U.S. Open semi-finals. She was named the WTA’s most impressive newcomer in 1983 and Canada’s top female athlete in 1983 and ‘85. The Toronto native, Canada’s top-ranked women’s player from 1982-1986, was inducted into the Tennis Hall of Fame in 1998 and three years later became the first female tennis player named to Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame. In 2003, Bassett-Seguso was inducted into the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame and she went into the Canadian Tennis Hall of Fame in 2007.<doc-sep>We use cookies to improve your experience. Learn More or change your cookie preferences. By continuing to use this site, you agree to the use of cookies.<doc-sep>Open this photo in gallery Bianca Andreescu obliterated Garbine Muguruza, a two-time Grand Slam champion, in the quarter-finals, 6-0, 6-1. Clive Brunskill/Getty Images Heading into the quarter-finals at Indian Wells, Calif., last 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. Everyone was talking about her, from the media to the fans to her counterparts on both the men’s and women’s tours. Her task in the quarters on Wednesday, however, was decidedly more difficult: Getting past Spain’s Garbine Muguruza, a two-time Grand Slam champion, in a top-tier tournament. No one would have batted an eye if Andreescu had gone down in straight sets. As she had been all week, and pretty much all season, she was up against a more experienced player of higher ranking. But what the audacious Canadian did sent shock waves through the tennis world. As the youngest quarter-finalist there in a decade, she obliterated Muguruza 6-0, 6-1 in a near-perfect match that took just 52 minutes. Story continues below advertisement “I just went out there, went for it,” Andreescu said afterward. “I didn’t focus on who was on the other side. It really helped me.” The way she pulled off that signature victory served notice to her WTA Tour competitors. She showcased a unique mix of spin and pace while putting Muguruza off kilter. Her shot placement was precise, she sliced, her point construction appeared next-level and her use of deftly placed drop shots was ruthlessly effective. On Friday, Andreescu did it again, advancing to the final with a 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 victory over No. 6 seed Elina Svitolina. On Sunday, she beat eighth-seeded German Angelique Kerber 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 to claim the title. Andreescu began 2019 ranked No. 152 in the world, and has shot up more than 100 spots, playing to an astonishing 26-3 record in combined WTA and Fed Cup play this year, making headlines almost weekly. She’s top four on Tour when it comes to main draw victories this year, and her list of accomplishments is dizzying. When the next WTA rankings come out Monday, Andreescu will have vaulted into the top 40. 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. The burst of attention is reminiscent of when other young Canadians first broke onto the scene in recent years, becoming the talk of the tennis world, such as Milos Raonic, Denis Shapovalov and Eugenie Bouchard. Andreescu’s promising play prompts the same questions asked about her compatriots. Can she maintain the level needed for consistent success in this unforgiving individual sport? How will she handle the attention and the pressure? Will she be the first Canadian to earn a Grand Slam singles title? Story continues below advertisement The 18-year-old oozed confidence during a midwinter interview in Toronto. She was kicking back with her parents and her dog inside the Tennis Canada office at Aviva Centre, where she’ll be a headliner at this summer’s Rogers Cup. Her dark, bobbed hair was styled, while makeup and long lashes highlighted her brown eyes. She wore a casual Nike outfit – navy pants and a fitted black top with rose-gold lettering and maroon sneakers. Her parents settled onto the couch beside her, grinning at each other, while her tiny toy poodle Coco, wearing a fuzzy pink sweater, wriggled across their laps. For a fleeting moment as she snuggled the little brown dog, the woman currently captivating the tennis world actually acted like a kid. “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.” The 5-foot-7 teenager is unique in countless ways, from the variety in her game to her punishing use of drop shots, or the spin she can put on the ball. She wears a coiled hair elastic around her bicep, causing the overjoyed company that makes them to send her a box. She rescues stray dogs off the street while travelling to Romania, and finds them homes. Romanian fans also support her, waving their flags at her matches and speaking with her in Romanian afterward. As with several other Canadian tennis stars, Andreescu has roots outside Canada. Her parents immigrated to Mississauga in 1994 from Romania, where her father, Nicu, was a mechanical engineer, and her mother, Maria, had completed a master's degree in economics. “We arrived in Canada with two suitcases and that’s all,” Andreescu’s father says. “We had a great first impression when we arrived, having come from a former communist country. We wanted to go to Canada and start a new life and have a better future for any kids we might have.” Their only child was born in Mississauga in 2000. They lived there until Maria moved back to Romania for a brief 2½-year stretch to open a trucking business, bringing her daughter, then 6, along. Nicu stayed in Toronto to work as a tooling engineer at an automotive company. Andreescu had spoken a little Romanian with her parents in Canada, but moving to Romania pushed the youngster to speak and write in the language daily in school. Story continues below advertisement Her parents recall a highly active little girl who was relentlessly on the move, running, jumping and showing off on the monkey bars.<doc-sep>
Years from now, it may be a footnote in the long, successful tennis career of Bianca Andreescu. But for now it is part of the origin story of Canada's newest, emerging superstar. Playing in her first career final against the established Angelique Kerber, Andreescu called for her coach during a break in the gruelling and decisive third set. "My feet are burning. I can barely move out there," she told her coach, Sylvain Bruneau. Bruneau reminded Andreescu of her mental and physical toughness, imploring her to push through. Andreescu responded with five powerful words. "I want this so bad," she told her coach. WATCH | Coach pleads with Bianca Andreescu to keep battling: Bianca Andreescu tells coach during pep talk, 'I want this so bad' Sports 1:07 Andreescu's 3rd set conversation with coach Sylvain Bruneau was the turning point in her match as she went on to break the next game and eventually win her 1st career WTA title. 1:07 She then returned the court and surged toward her historic victory, besting Kerber in the final of the prestigious BNP Paribas Open 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 at Indian Wells, Calif. Afterwards, she said the third-set meeting with her coach gave her chills. "That moment was everything to me. At that point I was like mind over matter, that's what helped me win." Michael Downey, Tennis Canada CEO, said Andreescu's on-court words will become legendary. "That was a memorable line I will never forget," Downey said. "It's an example that will be repeated by coaches around the world when they're trying to instill fight in their players. This young kid has fight." WATCH | Andreescu has "biggest win in Canadian tennis history": Andreescu delivers 'biggest win in Canadian tennis history' Sports 1:35 Tennis Canada's Tom Tebbutt tells CBC Sports why Bianca Andreescu's win at Indian Wells is the most historic Canadian victory in tennis. 1:35 Her mental toughness combined with her skill has Downey and others in the tennis world predicting big things. "She's got game. She's got what we call a multi-core game," Downey says. "You know she can do lobs. She can hit the ball hard. She's got a great serve. Martina Navratilova, one of the greatest female players of all time, told BT Sport: "Every time we thought this is it, she doesn't have the game or she doesn't have the belief, the legs, she just kept proving us wrong. It was a coming-of-age tournament. This one is here to stay. I'm looking forward to seeing her develop into an even better tennis player." Andreescu's win marks the the first time a wild card (a player who doesn't qualify but is invited by sponsors or tournament organizers) has won this tournament. "I was actually really dizzy in the locker room because there were so many thoughts and emotions going through my body," she said. "It has been a crazy ride, truly a Cinderella story." I can’t put into words what all of this means to me.Being able to have my name amongst so many great champions is beyond remarkable.Thank you for everyone’s support!All those tough times are worth it if you believe there will be good times ahead #bibirisen #flyingB #thankful #omg pic.twitter.com/EYsEYkpkDY —@Bandreescu_ Wild cards don't win tournaments. They are just happy to be invited. "Hopefully this moment can be a great inspiration for many young athletes because, like I always say, if you believe in yourself anything is possible," Andreescu said. The win netted the teenager $1,354,010 US and saw her climb the WTA rankings 36 positions to 24th. What's most refreshing about this 18-year-old from Mississauga, Ont., is she can't seem to comprehend her quick rise in the tennis world. WATCH | Highlights from Andreescu's historic win at Indian Wells: One Year Ago Today: Bianca Andreescu caps remarkable run with Indian Wells title Sports 2:19 One year ago, 18-year-old Bianca Andreescu stunned the tennis world as she upset world No. 8 Angelique Kerber 6-4, 3-6, 6-4, to win the BNP Paribas Open, becoming the youngest player to win the tournament since Serena Williams in 1999. 2:19 Her emotions after her victory and during a lengthy post-match news conference appeared genuine and devoid of familiar clichés. Andreescu is bringing Canadians along in real time as she plunges head first into stardom. "I've watched all of these players play on television so many times," she said, shaking her head. "It's surreal to be able to play them in front of huge crowds at such a prestigious tournament."