Facts and figures: Andreescu’s US Open breakthrough

The statistical context surround this year’s US Open women’s singles final between Bianca Andreescu and Serena Williams was already absorbing enough, even without the result that followed.

When Williams broke through in New York, 20 years ago in 1999, to win her first Grand Slam singles title, Andreescu wasn’t even born.

And when the 19-year-old Andreescu lined up against the 37-year-old Williams, it marked the biggest age gap — 18 years and 263 days — between major finalists in Open Era history.

Andreescu’s subsequent 6-3 7-5 win meant the young Canadian re-wrote the record books.

Here are some of the remarkable facts and figures about Andreescu’s breakthrough victory — and what it has meant for her season, and career.

Facts and figures

Andreescu is now 8-0 against top-10 ranked opponents in her career, with all of those wins being achieved in 2019.

The victory over Williams improves her win-loss record this year to 45-4 — and she’s won her last 14 straight.

She owns the most hard-court victories (31) of any player on tour.

Andreescu is projected to rise to world No.5 on Monday; the week of 22 October 2018 she was ranked No.243, and begun 2019 ranked No.152

According to the WTA note, there are some examples if you consider players starting with no ranking.

But if we consider only ranked players, the lowest was Kim Clijsters: n.134 on 6th March 2005, top-10 in mid-August of the same year, YE n.2 and n.1 at beginning of March 2006.

— Diego Barbiani (@Diego_Barbiani) September 4, 2019

She equals Monica Seles as the player winning her first major title the “fastest”; this was just her fourth appearance in a Grand Slam main draw.

She was the first player in 22 years to reach the US Open in her main-draw debut — but unlike Venus Williams in 1997, she won the title.

Andreescu is the first teenager in 13 years to win a Grand Slam singles title — the last was Maria Sharapova at the 2006 US Open. She was the first teenager since Caroline Wozniacki in 2009 to reach a US Open final.

Her victory marks the first time a teenager has ever beaten Serena Williams at the US Open.

She becomes the first player born in the 2000s to win a Grand Slam singles title.

Her previous best showing at a major tournament was the second round of Australian Open 2019; she had never been beyond the first round of US Open qualifying in two previous visits.