Andreescu vs Williams

Photo: CTV News

Canada's Bianca Andreescu will attempt to make Canadian tennis history in the US Open women's singles final on Saturday.

Andreescu's 7-6 (3), 7-5 win over Switzerland's Belinda Bencic Thursday night put her in the final against the 37-year-old Serena Williams, who will be trying to win her 24th Grand Slam title and tie the all-time record held by Australia's Margaret Court.

The 19-year-old Andreescu is looking for the first major title of her career, in her first US Open main-draw appearance. It would also be the first-ever Grand Slam singles title by a Canadian.

"A lot of emotions are running through my body right now. A lot of thoughts, too. But right now I'm just trying to take in the victory," said Andreescu. "Hopefully I can just keep the momentum going for the finals. Hopefully I can play a little bit better than I did today."

The match will be a bit of unfinished business. Williams and Andreescu played each other for the first time in last month's Rogers Cup. But after just four games, Williams was forced to retire due to back spasms,

That handed Andreescu her second WTA title of the season and made her the first Canadian to win the tournament since Faye Urban of Windsor, Ont., beat Vancouver's Vicki Berner in 1969.

The Mississauga, Ont., native is the first to reach the final in her maiden US Open appearance since Serena's sister Venus did it in 1997, when she was 17.

Serena Williams, who already has six US Open titles, won her first in 1999 as a 17-year-old — before Andreescu was born.

"She really knows how to mix up the game and play different shots in different ways. Above all, I just like her as a person. She's amazing," Williams said of Andreescu.