Bianca Andreescu started the season as an up-and-coming teenager eager to make her mark on the WTA Tour. She finished the campaign as one of its top stars.

A murdererB次元官网网址檚 row of tennis talent B次元官网网址� Kerber, Venus, Wozniacki, Svitolina, Pliskova, and of course, Serena B次元官网网址� all fell to the upstart Canadian who shone in the key moments and on some of the sportB次元官网网址檚 biggest stages.

Andreescu capped her unforgettable season Thursday by winning the Bobbie Rosenfeld Award as The Canadian Press female athlete of the year.

B次元官网网址淲hen I step on the court, I know itB次元官网网址檚 very easy to say, but I try not to focus on whoB次元官网网址檚 on the other side,B次元官网网址� Andreescu, a 19-year-old from Mississauga, Ont., said. B次元官网网址淚 think thatB次元官网网址檚 helped me achieve what IB次元官网网址檝e achieved.B次元官网网址�

AndreescuB次元官网网址檚 list of accomplishments over the last 12 months is a long one. She kept one-upping herself throughout the year.

One breakthrough came at Indian Wells last March. A Rogers Cup singles title B次元官网网址� the first by a Canadian in 50 years B次元官网网址� came in August in Toronto, a few weeks ahead of AndreescuB次元官网网址檚 history-making turn at the U.S. Open.

In a generational Canadian sports moment on par with Mike WeirB次元官网网址檚 Masters victory and Sidney CrosbyB次元官网网址檚 golden goal, Andreescu beat Serena Williams to become the first Canadian to win a Grand Slam singles title.

B次元官网网址淏ianca Andreescu is the only choice for CanadaB次元官网网址檚 female athlete of the year,B次元官网网址� said Globe and Mail sports editor Shawna Richer. B次元官网网址淗ands down the most dominant performance of any athlete, male or female. This year, a star was born.B次元官网网址�

Andreescu nearly swept the year-end poll of broadcasters and editors from across the country.

She picked up 66 of 68 votes (97 per cent) overall, with short-track speedskater Kim Boutin and middle-distance runner Gabriela DeBues-Stafford taking one vote apiece.

Golfer Brooke Henderson won the Bobbie Rosenfeld Award the last two years. The last tennis player to take the honour was Eugenie Bouchard, who won in 2013 and 2014.

The winner of the Lionel Conacher Award as CanadaB次元官网网址檚 male athlete of the year will be named Friday and the team of the year will be named Saturday.

Andreescu rocketed up the rankings on her way to becoming a top-five player. She started the year at No. 152.

With a punishing, grinding style that keeps opponents on their heels, Andreescu has a variety of weapons that can be tough to match. She has the power game to hang with the big hitters and uses different spins and drops to her advantage.

B次元官网网址淚 think now IB次元官网网址檓 at a stage where I can choose the right shot at the right time,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 one challenge I think that IB次元官网网址檝e faced this year is to choose the right tool in my toolbox at a certain time. But I think thatB次元官网网址檚 improving and I think I can continue to storm the WTA Tour.B次元官网网址�

Andreescu had to battle her way through qualification draws a year ago. Main draw appearances and eventual seedings in bigger tournaments soon followed.

Her performance at the ASB Classic in Auckland last January got peopleB次元官网网址檚 attention. She beat former world No. 1s Venus Williams and Caroline Wozniacki before losing in the final.

Andreescu won a lower-level WTA 125K Series event in Newport Beach, Calif., later that month before breaking out at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif.

A second-round win over then-world No. 35 Dominika Cibulkova and quarterfinal rout of then-world No. 20 Garbine Muguruza stood out before a final victory over Angelique Kerber, the world No. 8 at the time.

B次元官网网址淲hen I beat Cibulkova, I think that sparked something in me because then I played Muguruza and it was just the best match IB次元官网网址檝e ever played,B次元官网网址� Andreescu recalled. B次元官网网址淚 won that match (love) and one, which is very rare.

B次元官网网址淚 think after that moment, I really thought that I can actually win a Grand Slam.B次元官网网址�

Andreescu earned her first seven-digit paycheque of US$1.35 million and rose 36 spots to No. 24 in the world. She became the first wild-card entry to win the Premier Mandatory-level tournament.

However, injuries were a problem at times. AndreescuB次元官网网址檚 season ended at the WTA Finals with a knee injury and her mid-season schedule was limited by a shoulder issue that forced her to retire from her fourth-round match at the Miami Open.

After a second-round exit at the French Open, Andreescu returned with a vengeance at the Rogers Cup. Adored by the Toronto crowd in what was essentially a hometown tournament, she earned the crown when Williams had to stop playing after just four games due to injury.

Andreescu picked up where she left off a couple weeks later at the U.S. Open. She dropped only two sets in the entire tournament before dispatching Williams again in the final, this time by a score of 6-3, 7-5.

B次元官网网址淚n the back of my head, thereB次元官网网址檚 always that thought (where) you know youB次元官网网址檙e playing someone thatB次元官网网址檚 top five or top 10,B次元官网网址� Andreescu said. B次元官网网址淏ut in those circumstances my level just increases, which I think is good because I have to raise my level in order to keep up with them.

B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 know how it gets to that. It just does.B次元官网网址�

Andreescu closed the season at No. 5 in the world rankings. She posted a 48-7 record on the campaign and totalled $6.5 million in earnings.

Aleksandra Wozniak (2009), Helen Kelesi (1989, 1990) and Carling Bassett (1985) are the other tennis players who have won the Bobbie Rosenfeld Award.

Rosenfeld, an Olympic medallist in track and field and a multi-sport athlete, was named CanadaB次元官网网址檚 best female athlete of the half-century in 1950.

Gregory Strong, The Canadian Press

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