Given the growth and popularity that tennis is commanding not only on Canada’s west coast, but across the country.

Tennis just wrapped up at Hollyburn Country Club with the Odlum Brown VanOpen attracting a solid size crowd.

Now we are not only hearing, but watching young tennis sensation play against the world’s #1 tennis player Serana Williams in what might be the clash of 2019 for the 19 year-old.

Bianca Andreescu (19) put her hands over her mouth in awe after the match when the on-court interviewer mentioned that she was the first Canadian to win a major.

Her parents are from Romania and she started playing tennis at the young age of 7 and initially lived in Mississauga, but apparently now calls Thornhill or Toronto home, depending on who you ask.

Her middle name is Vanessa named after actress Vanessa Williams and as one can imagine practice time takes away from her schooling.

As this is an issue she (Andreescu) managed to complete her high-school diploma through an online course at Unionville’s Bill Crothers Secondary School.

For those watching the match one might think that the key turning point was breaking Serena’s serve in the first match set the tone for her eventual win.

It goes without saying that the crowd was loud and got even louder as the match progressed, especially down to the final serve.

Her career kicked off in 2014 when she won Les Petits the main class tournament for U-14’s in the world.

She continued to play strong and impress the tennis world slowly climbing up the world rankings winning her first event of 2019 in Auckland going on to defeat the first, third and sixth seeds in the tennis world.

Andreescu told the interviewer following the win “It’s so hard to explain in words but I’m beyond grateful and I worked really hard for this moment.”

She continued “This year has been a dream come true and being able to play on this stage against Serena, a true legend in this sport, is amazing.”

As one would expect there was a loud applause and cheers when she was introduced prior to the match, but the ovation for Williams was electric.

Andreescu mentioned “she had to fight off the crowd noise at times, especially when she saw her 5-1 lead evaporate in the second set.”

Serena defeated fifth-ranked Elina Svitolina in straight sets, three days prior and now the six-time U.S. Open champion faces Canadian Bianca Andreescu that had everyone glued to the sets.

As expected the 23-time Grand Slam champion would save all six that put the pressure on Andreescu’s serve in the next game. 

She defeated Serena Williams 6-3, 7-5, making her Canada’s first-ever Grand Slam champion in singles competition.

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In total Serena has eliminated six (6) players have seen Serena trounce them playing her best tennis.

Bianca is the first player to get this far in her debut since Venus Williams in 1997 when she was a runner-up. 

In reaching the final, Williams sets a mark for longest gap between first career Grand Slam title match and most recent which is almost 20 full years since she won the 1999 US Open.

In true Canadian fashion after the match during the interview she mentioned “I know you guys wanted Serena to win so I’m so sorry.”

Think what you will – this wasn’t a win in one sense for Canada, but more for herself.

Congratulations on an exceptional match.