At 19, Andreescu lives dream of being Grand Slam champion

Canadian teen Bianca Andreescu's fiery passion and impressive shotmaking skills had tennis experts figuring she would someday realize her dream of becoming a Grand Slam champion.

It happened Saturday at the US Open in her first Slam final as the 19-year-old defeated 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams 6-3, 7-5 to win the $3.85 million top prize.

"I think it's just inside of me somehow. I think it's just my passion for the game," Andreescu said of her secret to success.

"I don't like to lose, so I just try my best every match. I expect a lot from myself, so I think that pressure also helps me do my best in matches."
"I think it helped me a lot with my coordination, as well. I think I have pretty good hand-eye coordination. But once I picked up the racquet, I forgot about everything else."
"I remember actually when I was 16, after I won the Orange Bowl title, I remember I wrote myself a check of this tournament, winning the tournament obviously."
"A lot of respect for her. A lot of tools in her game. Like a really complete game. She has the whole package. Like the game's amazing, I think: the physical, the athleticism, and the mental. She looks incredibly confident. She feels like she's where she belongs. That's the impression she gives."
"She's a warrior and she's a street fighter," said her coach, Sylvain Bruneau. "She strives to compete."
- 'The full package' -
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