MIAMI (Reuters) – Canadian teenage sensation Bianca Andreescu pulled off a Miami Open great escape by fighting back from a set and match point down to beat a dazed Irina-Camelia Begu 4-6 7-6(2) 6-2 in the first round on Thursday.
Mar 21, 2019; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Venus Williams of the United States hits a forehand against Dalila Jakupovic of Slovenia (not pictured) in the first round of the Miami Open at Miami Open Tennis Complex. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
The 18-year-old who stunned the tennis world last week by winning her first career title at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells raised eyebrows again with a gritty and spirited comeback that underscored her status as a rising star.
“The harder the battle, the sweeter the victory,” Andreescu told reporters. “I have gained a lot of experience from today, but hopefully I don’t have to actually be down match point to win matches.
“Maybe I needed to almost lose to wake up. That’s obviously what happened today. I’m really grateful how I managed.
Only three women — Steffi Graf, Kim Clijsters and Victoria Azarenka — have completed the ‘Sunshine Double’, winning both Indian Wells and Miami back-to-back, and Begu had looked ready to make sure Andreescu would not add her name to that list.
With 28-year-old Romanian a set up and leading 5-1 in the second the Canadian appeared headed for an early exit before she fought back.
Fighting off a match point at 5-2, the teenager went on the attack by unleashing a barrage of drop shots and laser forehands to sweep five successive games from her crumbling opponent to force the second set into a tiebreak.
By then the damage had been done, with a distraught and flustered Begu meekly surrendering the tiebreak before she slumped into her chair and hid under a towel in an attempt to regain composure.
When the action resumed little had changed as the surging Andreescu opened the deciding set with a break and Begu never recovered as the ruthless teenager closed out the contest to book a second-round meeting with American Sofia Kenin.
The victory was a promising omen for 24th-ranked Andreescu who two weeks earlier beat Begu in a tough three-setter in the opening round at Indian Wells.
Andreescu may be the youngest Indian Wells champion since Serena Williams in 1999 and the first wildcard to win one of the biggest tennis tournaments outside of the four Grand Slams but shared the spotlight on Thursday with Cori Gauff.
The 15-year-old American also turned heads beating compatriot Catherine McNally 3-6 6-3 6-4 to claim her first WTA Tour level win and advance to the second round.
While both Andreescu and Gauff need three sets to advance, third-seeded Czech Petra Kvitova breezed into the third round with a 6-1 6-4 victory over Greece’s Maria Sakkari.
Three-times Miami Open champion Venus Williams was also in good form, lighting up center court by easing past Slovenian qualifier Dalila Jakupovic 7-5 6-3 as both the sun and the fans returned to the tournament.
After two days of almost constant rain, Williams’ match on the 13,800-seat temporary stadium court kicked off a busy day as organizers scrambled to get back on schedule after rain washed out three of the first four sessions.
It was a good day on the hardcourts for the Australian contingent as 12th seeded Ashleigh Barty advanced to the third round with a 6-4 6-1 victory over Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska.
Former U.S. Open champion Sam Stosur provided the first upset of the tournament knocking off 17th seeded American Madison Keys 6-4 4-6 6-4.
Editing by Ken Ferris/Greg Stutchbury