Bianca Andreescu’s has had one hell of a year. In a couple of months, through pure tenacity and winning multiple titles, the 19-year-old found herself moving up 195 spots in the world tennis ranking.
On Saturday, after defeating her idol Serena Williams and nabbing Canada’s first U.S. Open title, Andreescu now ranks as the 14th best player in the world.
Andreescu herself seemed like she could barely believed it happened.
And she’s not the only one. Canadians everywhere can’t hold back their excitement. Everyone from the prime minister to Canadian olympic stars like Scott Moir joined in to celebrate Andreescu’s historic win.
Andreescu’s is truly a champion with a Canadian story. She grew up as the daughter of Romanian immigrants in Mississauga, Ont.
Her parents and adorable pup Coco made their own mark at her games, catching people’s attention for their sweet looks and unwavering support for their daughter.
People in Andreescu’s hometown of Mississauga followed along with the game wherever they could, huddled around screens in backyards, bars and homes.
Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie congratulated Andreescu’s win with a promise to hand her a key to the city.
Andreescu even got a shoutout from Romanian tennis player Simona Halep, whom she credits with getting her into the professional leagues.
Genie Bouchard, another Canadian tennis star who also made her name as a Canadian finalist in the 2014 Wimbledon tournament, dubbed Andreescu’s win as “Canadian history.”
But it wasn’t just Canadians joining in on the hype. Even celeb Chrissy Teigen was shocked by Andreescu’s historic game, especially given her age.
She also got a shoutout from tennis legend Billie-Jean King, a formerly No. 1 ranked player known for challenging gender parity in the sport.
Other Canadian champions, like Toronto Raptors player Pascal Siakim, recognized Andreescu’s hustle, swapping out the Raptors hashtag associated with #WeTheNorth for one that celebrates her.
The City of Toronto paid homage to the victory with gold light.
Everyone is about #SheTheNorth.
Serena Williams, who had lost the Rogers Cup to Andreescu last month after pulling out because of an injury, couldn’t help but beam with pride for the 19-year-old champion.
Nabbing the title would have also been a historic moment for Williams, giving her the record of holding the most Grand Slam titles.
It’s been a wild, intense and successful ride for Andreescu — and she’s only 19. She’s given Canadians everywhere a reason to celebrate, and she’s just getting started.