Andreescu reflects on past triumphs over Williams ahead of Canadian Open

TORONTO: Nearly seven years after defeating 23-times Grand ​Slam champion Serena Williams in the 2019 US Open final, Canadian Bianca Andreescu still feels ‌a little bad for denying the American a 24th major. Andreescu was just 19 years old when she defeated Williams, then 37, in straight sets, becoming the first Canadian player to win a Grand Slam title. The two talked about their match afterwards ​but have not had much interaction since, Andreescu said, other than polite hellos. “Maybe she just doesn’t ​like me very much,” Andreescu said with an awkward chuckle on Wednesday while talking ⁠to reporters on Zoom. “I wouldn’t blame her.” She quickly added that Williams had some “very sweet” words after the ​match and praised the 44-year-old for returning to competitive tennis last month, nearly four years after her retirement. Noskova reaches first Wimbledon semi-final “To ​come back at her age obviously is not easy,” Andreescu said. “But she’s definitely becoming even more of a trailblazer than she already is to do something like that.” Andreescu aims to return to her best Having reached fourth in the world rankings ​but now 180th, the Canadian is staging a comeback of sorts herself after suffering multiple injuries in recent ​years and undergoing appendectomy surgery. The 26-year-old started this season on the second-tier ITF circuit, claiming titles at Bradenton and Vero ‌Beach ⁠in Florida. She returned to the WTA Tour at the end of February, most recently losing in the first round at Wimbledon. On Wednesday she was awarded a main-draw wildcard at the Canadian Open, which she also won in 2019 by defeating Williams, who retired in the final due to back spasms. “Now that I’ve been ​super consistent, I think that’s ​also giving me even ⁠more confidence to finish the season off strong,” Andreescu said of her health and game this year. “To me it feels like a miracle… I just feel beyond ​grateful and I’m just ready to continue to kick some butt.” While Williams was ​not on ⁠the Canadian Open player list released on Wednesday, Andreescu hopes their paths will cross again one day – and that she can muster up the courage to seek advice from “the legend herself”. “She said: ‘If you ever need any help, let ⁠me know’,” ​Andreescu said, recalling her conversation with Williams after the 2019 ​U.S. Open final. “But I’m not brave enough to do that. Maybe now that she’s on tour, I’ll have the chance to talk to ​her.” The Canadian Open runs from August 2-13 in Toronto.