Andreescu crushes Muguruza, Svitolina survives

Bianca Andreescu's impressive start to the year continued as she set up an Indian Wells Open semi-final against Elina Svitolina.

Teenager Bianca Andreescu thrashed Garbine Muguruza in the Indian Wells Open quarter-finals, while Elina Svitolina survived a scare on Wednesday.

Andreescu, 18, continued her fine start to the year with a 6-0 6-1 dismantling of 20th seed Muguruza.

The Canadian wildcard needed just 52 minutes to brush past two-time grand slam champion Muguruza, beating a seed for the third time at this tournament.

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Andreescu made the Auckland Open final to begin her year and reached the last four in Acapulco after winning an Oracle Challenger Series event at Newport Beach.

Ranked 152nd in the world at the end of last year, Andreescu is up to 60th and rising.

She will need to cause another upset to reach the final, with Svitolina awaiting her in the last four.

Svitolina, the sixth seed, battled past another teenager, Marketa Vondrousova, 4-6 6-4 6-4 in two hours, 12 minutes.

 

-Meditation for higher focus-

(Inputs from AFP)

The 18-year old preparation will include her daily dose of meditation, a technique she has relied on for years.

“I do it all the time. Every day since I was 14, I have been doing it. So it's become a habit for me,” Andreescu said after crushing two-time Grand Slam champion Garbine Muguruza 6-0, 6-1 in the quarter-finals at Indian Wells.

“It's nothing complicated. I wake up every morning. First thing I do is I meditate.

“I think it really helps me get a good jump-start to the day. Not opening my phone or anything, not getting too overwhelmed.

“It's just creative visualization. I take 15 minutes every morning just to get in tune with my body, my mind.

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“Because I feel like a lot of people work on the physical part of things, but I think the mental part is the most important because it controls your whole body, right?”

Andreescu is more than ready for the challenge against Svitolina in the next match.

“I think confidence is everything, and also experience, too. I just started playing these high-level events a year ago, and I think I'm gaining more and more experience after every match.

“Win or lose, I always learn something. This year all the wins have definitely given me confidence.”