It wasn't the type of victory she would have expected, but Bianca Andreescu won the Rogers Cup in Toronto on Sunday after Serena Williams was forced to retire due to an upper back injury.
The surging teenager is the first Canadian woman to capture the Rogers Cup since Faye Urban accomplished the feat in 1969.
The match ended after 16 minutes with Andreescu leading 3-1 in the first set. The 19-year-old, who herself overcame a troublesome shoulder injury to appear in her hometown tournament, embraced the 23-time Grand Slam champion upon Williams' withdrawal.
"I know all about injuries." @Bandreescu_ consoles Serena Williams following her @rogerscup final retirement. pic.twitter.com/CM1joKu6Cw
— WTA (@WTA) August 11, 2019
"I'm sorry I couldn't do it today, I tried," Williams said after the match. "It's been a tough year, but we'll keep going."
Andreescu, who hails from nearby Mississauga, Ontario, has now captured her second WTA title after winning the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif., in March. As a result, she'll rise to No. 14 in Monday's WTA rankings.
"Serena, you made me cry. I know how it is to pull out of tournaments, it's not easy," said Andreescu post-match. "This wasn't the way I expected to win. You are truly a champion. I've watched you win so many times, you are truly a champion on and off the court.
"I'm speechless right now. This has been a dream come true."
