US Open 2019: Wozniacki likens Andreescu to Clijsters
Bianca Andreescu defeated Caroline Wozniacki in straight sets and afterwards she was likened to a three-time US Open champion.
Caroline Wozniacki compared Bianca Andreescu’s game to that of Kim Clijsters after losing to the Canadian rising star in the third round of the US Open.
Andreescu has enjoyed a superb year on the WTA Tour, winning titles at Indian Wells and the Canadian Open.
Before the US Open her performances had not translated into grand slam success, as the 19-year-old reached the second round at the Australian Open and French Open and did not play at Wimbledon because of a shoulder injury that forced her to abandon her Roland Garros mission.
However, she was excellent in her 6-4 6-4 defeat of 2018 Australian Open champion Wozniacki, who sees plenty of similarites between the teenager and three-time US Open champion Clijsters.
“I think the one that I can most compare her game to would probably be Kim back in the day, Clijsters,” Wozniacki told a media conference. “I think because she moves well and she can stretch out and get to some balls and also play aggressive and using the angles. Obviously she prefers the forehand just like Kim.
HUGE forehand from @Bandreescu_ as she steps to the line to serve for the match…#USOpen pic.twitter.com/BdbAgDAkjp
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 31, 2019
“But she can move around the backhand and put the angle on it, so I think if I were to kind of compare to someone I know, everyone has their own style, but for me, playing her, it brings me back a little bit to when I played Kim.”
Told of that comparison, Andreescu said at her media conference: “I actually looked up to her [Clijsters] a lot while I was just coming up, when I started playing tennis.
“So that’s really nice to hear from other players, because I think my game is pretty similar to hers. Not as good yet.”
Wozniacki received treatment on her foot at the end of the first set but it did not appear to hinder her in a competitive second set.
The Dane alleviated any concerns over that injury but lamented a year in which she has consistently battled fitness problems.
On her foot, she said: “I think I just jammed it or did something like that. I’m not sure exactly. I went to the physio just to check it out. But it’s okay. It’s fine.
“Obviously it wasn’t the best year for me, but really, there’s nothing you can do when your body sometimes doesn’t cooperate.
“At this point you just have to stay positive, and I’m going to go into Asia feeling like I can play some good tennis and pull off some good shots.”
