Bianca Andreescu is set to break into the WTA top 40 on Monday after adding another impressive Indian Wells Open victory to her stunning start to 2019.
Heading into the year, the Canadian teenager was ranked 152 in the world but after booking her place in the final in California, Andreescu is on her way up. She's brushed aside a host of seeds by Andreescu over the past two weeks and Angelique Kerber will be keen not to be added to that list on Sunday.
RELATED | Kerber eases past Bencic as Andreescu awaits in final
But who is Indian Wells' wildcard sensation? We take a look at the meteoric rise of Bianca Andreescu.
JUNIORS SUCCESS
Born in Ontario, Canada in June 2000, Andreescu turned pro in 2017 after lifting two junior grand slam doubles titles – at the Australian and French Opens.
She made her senior grand slam main draw debut at Wimbledon later that year after coming through qualifying, losing to Kristina Kucova in round one.
FIRST WTA TOUR WIN
Andreescu's first win on the WTA Tour came in August 2017 when she beat Camila Giorgi at the Citi Open, and she followed that up with her first win over a top-20 player as Kristina Mladenovic was beaten 6-2 6-3.
Her focus turned to the ITF Challenger circuit in 2018 as she failed to make a single WTA event, but her star was continuing to rise – making four ITF finals and winning two.
CANADA'S NUMBER ONE
It seems that 2019 will be her breakthrough year after a string of impressive victories over some of women's tennis' top stars saw her overtake Eugenie Bouchard as Canada's top-ranked player.
Andreescu began the year with a run to the ASB Classic final in Auckland, the youngster knocking out Caroline Wozniacki and Venus Williams along the way. Julia Goerges proved too strong in the final but Andreescu continued to impress elsewhere, coming through qualifying at the Australian Open to reach the second round.
She lifted the Newport Beach title – a WTA 125k event – in the week after her Melbourne exit, beating compatriot and former Wimbledon finalist Bouchard along the way.
After two wins in Canada's 4-0 Fed Cup win over Netherlands she reached the last four in Acapulco, losing to another rising star in Sofia Kenin.
INDIAN WELLS WINS
Andreescu opened up against Irina-Camelia Begu in Indian Wells, and after losing the opening set came storming back to win in three.
Seeds Dominika Cibulkova and Wang Qiang followed before a quarter-final obliteration of Garbine Muguruza – Andreescu winning 6-0 6-1 against the two-time grand slam champion.
RELATED | Andreescu overcomes fatigue and Svitolina to reach Indian Wells final
Elina Svitolina was a tougher challenge in Saturday's semi-final but Andreescu's determination, hunger and aggression got her past the world number six.
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