… beats Serena Williams in gripping final

TEENAGER Bianca Andreescu stunned Serena Williams in gripping US Open final to claim a first Grand Slam title and deny the American a 24th major.

Williams, 37, did not cope with the 19-year-old’s quality in a 6-3, 7-5 loss.
Canadian Andreescu, in the main draw here for the first time, lost a double break in the second set before taking her third match point and falling to the ground in disbelief.
“This year has been a dream come true,” Andreescu 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.”
To the disappointment of a stunned home crowd, Williams has now lost four successive major finals.

“Bianca played an unbelievable match,” Williams said. “I’m so proud and happy for you, it was incredible tennis out there.”
Williams, seeded eighth, looked edgy throughout as she aimed to match Australian Margaret Court’s tally of all-time major wins, handing over three of Andreescu’s five breaks of serve with double faults.
By contrast, 15th seed Andreescu played with the confidence which has marked her out as a star in a stunning breakthrough year.
She is the first Canadian to win a tennis major and the first teenager to win a Grand Slam since Maria Sharapova claimed the 2006 title at Flushing Meadows.
Andreescu kept her nerve to take a third match point with a forehand down the line, dropping her racquet to the ground and then, after a warm hug with Williams, lay on the court with her arms spread out as she contemplated her achievement.

After returning to her feet, she used a hastily-arranged step ladder to climb into her player’s box and embrace her nearest and dearest, including parents Nicu and Maria.
Before the match, Andreescu said if someone told her 12 months ago she would be facing Williams in the US Open final she would have thought they were “crazy”.
Tellingly, in a sign of her unwavering confidence, she said she would not have felt the same if they told her the same thing a fortnight ago.
Twelve months ago she lost in the first round of qualifying at Flushing Meadows and was ranked outside the top 200 in the world.
But she has become the most talked-about young player on the planet following a remarkable rise this year.

Andreescu, whose Romanian parents Nicu and Maria migrated to Canada in the 1990s, had only played six tour-level matches at the turn of the year.
Since then she has won prestigious WTA Premier title at Indian Wells and Toronto, rising to 15th in the world as a result, and raking in of £1.79M of her £1.97M career prize money.
Now she will rise to fifth in the world and take home another $3.85M (£3.13M) after this success.

Andreescu was fearless throughout her maiden Grand Slam final and unfazed by the occasion of playing an American icon on the biggest tennis court in the world.

‘ANDREESCU IS THE REAL DEAL’ – REACTION
Tennis great Billie Jean King: “Congratulations to Bianca Andreescu on winning her first major title at the #USOpen. She is Canada’s first Grand Slam singles champion! The Future is now. A phenomenal effort by Serena Williams, until the very end.
2019 Cincinnati Masters champion Madison Keys: “Congrats Bianca Andreescu on your first Grand Slam. So happy for you! Always a fighter, always inspiring – win or lose – Serena Williams. Such a great match to watch.”

Wimbledon champion Simona Halep: “Congratulations Bianca Andreescu on an amazing performance and your first Grand Slam! Romania is very proud of you.”
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau: “Congratulations Bianca Andreescu! You’ve made history and made a whole country very proud.” (BBC Sport)