By Chris Oddo | Wednesday March 13, 2019
Bianca Andreescu stormed past Garbine Muguruza to continue her fairy tale 2019 season in style.
Photo Source: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images
Game, set, massive win.
18-year-old Canadian wunderkind Bianca Andreescu stormed past Garbine Muguruza 6-0 6-1 and once again affirmed her status as the WTA’s new world beater on Wednesday at the BNP Paribas Open.
"I had a good day," bubbly Andreescu said to a room full of reporters about two hours after her victory. "She didn't have such a good day. I felt she was holding back a lot, and I felt it, so I just kept putting pressure. She just kept missing. So I'm just really happy."
The Canadian has been the breakout story of 2019 and has risen from outside the Top 150 all the way to a ranking that projects inside the Top 40 next week. It could go higher if this magical form continues.
Andreescu got on the front foot in her first meeting with Muguruza and never relented, as she kept the Spaniard off balance with a steady supply of pace, variety and cerebral shotmaking.
"Today I think I just -- I stuck to my tactics, which was to put pressure on her forehand, move her around, change the rhythm like I always do, play my game," Andreescu said.
The Canadian improves to 26-3 on the season and has defeated three former Grand Slam champions—Caroline Wozniacki, Venus Williams and now Muguruza—in a remarkable campaign that started with a run to her first career final at the ASB Classic in Auckland.
Andreescu becomes just the third wild card to reach the BNP Paribas Open semis, joining Martina Hingis in 2006 and Serena Williams in 2015. She dropped just 24 points in a beatdown of epic proportions that saw Muguruza drop the first nine games of a 52-minute contest that she’ll likely want to forget as soon as possible.
“I was trying to disturb her somehow, take the lead, try to command, as well,” Muguruza said. “I felt like every time I was trying something different she was coming up with better shots. She didn't let me come close enough in the score.”
Andreescu’s wild ride will continue when she faces Elina Svitolina on Friday. She has yet to face the Ukrainian.