Bianca Andreescu reached her first final since winning the 2019 US Open after battling past Maria Sakkari at the 2021 Miami Open.The eighth seed won 7-6 (9-7), 3-6, 7-6 (7-4) in a thrilling two-hour-and-42-minute semi-final at the WTA 1000 tournament.
The 20-year-old Canadian saved two set points before edging the first set in a tiebreak. World No. 25 Sakkari then recovered from a break down to take the second set.
The 25-year-old Greek was twice up a break in the third set – and served for the match at 6-5 – but Andreescu fought back and converted her third match point to seal victory in a decisive tiebreak.
“Against her, I had no choice but to run for everything that I could and just fight until the end because that’s what she was doing,” Andreescu said in an on-court interview after the match.
“She was really taking control of the points a lot of the times. It was really tough, I’m not going to lie.
“My whole game plan was to try and do that because I knew she was going to do that, and it could’ve been either of us winning. I’m just super happy that I pulled through.”
“I have a lot of experience in these tough three-setters and digging through and finding a way,” Andreescu told reporters in her press conference.
“Sometimes I literally feel like I’m an octopus out there running side to side, I feel like I have eight legs. It’s insane. Sometimes I don’t even know how I get to some shots. But it’s that fighting spirit I have always had in me, never giving up.
“Through experience you learn to find ways to deal with circumstances like this. It’s really showing. Me playing with my back against the wall really brings out my best tennis.”
Andreescu will face world No. 1 Ashleigh Barty in the final on Saturday.
