Canadian tennis star Bianca Andreescu moved to within one victory of the main draw at the US Open, securing a commanding straight-sets win during the qualifying rounds at Flushing Meadows in New York. According to tournament coverage from La Presse, the 2019 tournament champion defeated Ukraine’s Veronika Podrez 6-0, 6-3, propelled by five service breaks on the hard courts of New York.
Canadian Qualifying Campaign at Flushing Meadows
The final Grand Slam tournament of the tennis season brought mixed fortunes for Canadian players competing in the preliminary rounds in New York. While Andreescu cruised past her opponent, compatriot Carson Branstine also moved a step closer to the main draw by overcoming Czech player Linda Fruhvirtova 6-4, 7-5 in one hour and 49 minutes, as reported by La Presse.
Branstine, ranked 565th globally, earned her spot in the final qualifying round against American Robin Montgomery by converting five break points while limiting her double faults to five against Fruhvirtova’s ten, according to La Presse’s reporting. Montgomery advanced by defeating Belgium’s Jeline Vandromme 7-5, 6-3.
Contrasting Results for Canadian Contenders
On the men’s side of the qualifying tournament, Liam Draxl of Ontario advanced to the final hurdle with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over American Andrew Johnson. La Presse noted that Draxl recorded four aces and five breaks while committing just 11 unforced errors during the match.
However, other Canadians experienced setbacks in New York. Rebecca Marino of British Columbia dropped a 6-2, 6-4 decision to Russia’s Elena Pridankina, while Quebec’s Alexis Galarneau fell 7-6 (3), 6-2 to eighth-seeded Czech player Dalibor Svrcina, according to La Presse.
Next Steps at the US Open
The qualifying competitors face their final matches to secure berths in the main draw of the US Open at Flushing Meadows. Tournament action continues in New York as players aim to complete their qualification runs ahead of the main tournament schedule.
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