Canadian Bianca Andreescu advances to semifinals in WTA Tour 250 event in Melbourne

MELBOURNE, Australia – Canada’s Bianca Andreescu is heading to the semifinals of the Phillip Island Trophy.

The No. 2 seed, from Mississauga, Ont., beat world No. 74 Irina-Camelia Begu of Romania 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(5) in the quarterfinals on Wednesday.

Andreescu, the 2019 U.S. Open champion, is now 4-1 in 2021 after ending a 15-month absence from the tour.

She will face No. 13 seed Marie Bouzkova of the Czech Republic in the semis.

Andreescu is now 3-1 against Begu.

The 20-year-old Canadian entered the new WTA Tour 250 event for early losers at the ongoing Australian Open after being ousted in the second round of the Grand Slam last week.

Ranked ninth in the world, Andreescu got a bye in the first round of the Phillip Island Trophy before topping the 85th-ranked Madison Brengle in the second round and the 83rd-ranked Zarina Diyas in the round of 16.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 17, 2021.