Bianca Andreescu holds on, advances to Miami semi-finals in brilliant fashion

Tennis fans witnessed a vintage Bianca Andreescu performance on Wednesday at the Miami Open.

After another tough battle, the Canadian continued her win streak thanks to a 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 victory over Spaniard Sara Sorribes Tormo in the final eight. She advances to her second semifinal of the season after reaching the same stage at the Phillip Island Trophy event in February (lost to Marie Bouzkova 6-7(9), 6-2, 7-5). 

It was a rough start for Andreescu in the first set as she quickly found herself trailing 0-3, but she soon found her rhythm and the match began to turn in her favour. 

Andreescu methodically orchestrated a comeback while showcasing all of her talent. She went on to win six of the next seven games and the set over the world no. 58 and the Andreescu train was officially running at full speed.

Andreescu carried her momentum into the second set, breaking Sorribes Tormo in the opening game, but the Spaniard wasn’t going to go down without a fight. The two players continued to exchange breaks, Andreescu had a long discussion with the chair umpire in the third game after being assessed a second time violation and at 3-3, Andreescu appeared to hit the wall physically. Lacking energy following many long rallies, she dropped three consecutive games to find herself in another third set.

Both players held serve to start the final frame until Andreescu managed to generate three break points in the fifth game and take a 3-2 lead with the break. The rest, as they say, was history. She finished with a flourish, breaking serve again in the last game to book her spot in the semifinals. 6-3, game, set, match Andreescu!

After a gruelling two hour, 35 minute hotly disputed contest, Bianca will face Maria Sakkari of Greece on Thursday. Sakkari upset world no. 2 Naomi Osaka of Japan 6-0, 6-4 in her quarter-final match.

It was Sakkari’s first win over a top 2 player in her career and her third semifinal berth of 2021. The world no. 25 will be looking to reach her first WTA final since Rabat in 2019 where she was crowned champion after defeating Johanna Konta 2-6, 6-4, 6-1. For her part, Bianca will be trying to advance to her first final since capturing her maiden Grand Slam title at the 2019 U.S. Open thanks to a brilliant performance to beat Serena Williams 6-3, 7-5. The historic victory made her the first Canadian to win a Major singles crown.