So just how great is Bianca Andreescu?

Back in January, we wrote a post about a young Canadian tennis player named Bianca Andreescu. At the time, this teenager from Mississauga, Ontario had just made a big splash in a small pond by beating some top players at warm-up tournament in Auckland, New Zealand.

It was great, but not top-of-the-world great. More like, Hmm-let's-keep-an-eye-on-her-because-in-three-years-she-could-be-amazing great.

But then she kept winning. And winning. And then, on Saturday, she won again and she won big. As in champion of the U.S. Open big.

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Posing with her trophy in New York. (Getty Embed)

And just like that, she really is on top of the world.

How did she get here?

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Embracing her idol, the amazing Serena Williams. Serena has already expressed big admiration for Bianca. (Getty Embed)

By defeating the legendary Serena Williams 6–3, 7–5 in the women's final of the 2019 U.S. Open, Bianca Andreescu did more than just win one of her sport's four biggest tournaments (a.k.a. Grand Slams) in her debut appearance.

She became the first Canadian ever, woman or man, to win a Grand Slam singles title (the other slams are the Australian Open, the French Open, and Wimbledon). She started a Raptors-inspired hashtag #SheTheNorth.

Congratulations @Bandreescu_! ?? You’ve made history and made a whole country very proud. #SheTheNorth https://t.co/W98v1lUN9o

— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) September 7, 2019

She became the first teenager to win a Slam since 2006. She won $3.85 million US and raised her ranking to 5 in the world (it was 152 at the start of the year).

She hasn't lost a match since March and her 2019 record is 45 wins to just four losses. And she improved her record against Top 10 opponents to eight wins and zero losses.

In other words, she has skyrocketed to the top of the sport in ways that very few players ever do. Which brings up the question...

How great can she be?

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And embracing her coach, Sylvain Bruneau. He is a huge part of the team that gives Bianca her self-belief... (Getty Embed)

Bianca herself was asked this question after her U.S. Open win, especially after playing her idol, Serena, a player who has won an incredible 23 Grand Slam titles. Her response?

"Who knows? Maybe I can be even better?"

That might sound a bit too self-assured. But then again, she also hasn't lost a tennis match in half a year! And Andreescu has more than just incredible tennis skills — she has a steely mind that is focused by regular meditation. She never gives up and really believes.

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...but ultimately, she knows how to find her focus on her own, too! (Getty Embed)

So while it might feel like she has arrived out of thin air, a few top tennis experts had picked her to win this U.S. Open before it began. And more than that? Bianca picked herself. Years ago...

Four years ago, after winning a junior level tournament, she wrote herself a cheque in the amount of the U.S. Open prize money. Day after day, she visualized—or pictured herself—playing in the U.S. Open final against Serena Williams. And winning.

And here she is. At exactly that point. So how great can Andreescu be? It seems that the only limit to that is her own imagination.

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Big time belief. Big time champ. (Getty Embed)

And she definitely knows how to dream big! Congrats, Bianca!