Bianca Andreescu of Mississauga, Ontario has won the 2019 Lou Marsh Award. The award is presented to the top Canadian male or female athlete of the year. Andreescu, who won the award on Monday, becomes the first tennis player to ever win the award.
Andreescu made Canadian sport history in September when she became the first Canadian tennis player ever to win a singles grand slam title. She won the women’s singles event at the 2019 United States Open in Flushing Meadows, New York. In the final, Andreescu defeated Serena Williams of the United States 6-3, 7-5.
Andreescu won two other tournaments in 2019. In March, she won the Indian Wells Open, a Women’s Tennis Association Premier 5 Mandatory event. She defeated Angelique Kerber of Germany 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 in the final. Then in August, Andreescu won a second WTA Premier 5 Mandatory event when she became the first Canadian in half a century to win the women’s singles final at the Rogers Cup (Canadian Open). Andreescu beat Williams 3-1 in Toronto before Williams had to pull out due to a back injury.
Andreescu had a record of 36 wins and nine losses in 2019. Various injuries forced her to pull out of the French Open, WTA Finals and the Miami Open. Due to a shoulder injury, Andreescu did not compete at Wimbledon.
