Bianca Andreescu adds Lou Marsh Trophy as Canada’s top athlete to U.S. Open, Rogers Cup titles | CBC Sports

Bianca Andreescu on Monday was named the first tennis recipient of the Lou Marsh Trophy as Canada’s athlete of the year. In September, the 19-year-old became the first Canadian to win a Grand Slam singles title.Bianca Andreescu, the 2019 recipient of the Lou Marsh Trophy as Canada’s top athlete, became the first Canadian to win a Grand Slam singles title, defeating American tennis great Serena Williams in the U.S Open final in September. (Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images)Tennis star Bianca Andreescu has won the 2019 Lou Marsh Trophy as Canada’s athlete of the year. Andreescu, 19, is the first tennis player to win the award. The native of Mississauga, Ont., became the first Canadian to win a Grand Slam singles title when she defeated American star Serena Williams in the final of the U.S. Open.”Wow, I’m so thankful for this award. I was not expecting it and to be the first tennis player to win is even more surreal,” said Andreescu. “None of my success this year would have been possible without the support from all of Canada.” The winner of the Toronto Star award is selected annually by a panel of sports journalists from across the country. Andreescu was a unanimous choice for this year’s award. WATCH | Bianca Andreescu named Canada’s athlete of the year: Canadian tennis star Bianca Andreescu became the first Canadian to win a Grand Slam singles title. 4:09 She earned over US$6.5 million on the season and is ranked fifth in the world after starting the year ranked No. 152. WATCH | Andreescu’s rapid rise to stardom: At the end of the 2018 calendar year, canadian tennis sensation Bianca Andreescu was ranked 152nd in the world. Now, she’s ranked fourth. How in the world did she get here? 2:18 Andreescu’s coach, Sylvain Bruneau, said recently that her performance at the season-opening ASB Classic in Auckland set the tone for the year. Andreescu beat former world No. 1s Caroline Wozniacki and Venus Williams before falling to Julia Georges in the final. “I was like, ‘OK she’s ready now,”‘ Bruneau said. “I mean, not eventually, but now. She’s now at the point where she’s able to really come up big and take those big names down and make a name for herself and do something good. “I knew it was going to happen and I guess Auckland was the moment where I thought, ‘OK maybe we don’t need to wait. Maybe it’s now.”‘ Eyeing 2020 Olympics Andreescu, who finished the season with a 48-7 singles record, is recovering from a knee injury she suffered during the WTA Finals in late October.  While it “isn’t a really big issue” anymore, she will take some time off in preparation for her next  tennis stint in Australia.  Andreescu also said she is gearing up for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.  “It’s been a dream of mine to perform there, and representing my country everywhere I go is such an amazing privilege,” she said.  “I’m really looking forward to it.”  “Canadian sports crushed it this year so there are definitely many other athletes who deserve a piece of this award as well — we all motivate each other to be better,” said Andreescu. “I can’t wait for what 2020 will bring and am always proud to represent Canada at the highest level.” The Lou Marsh Trophy has been awarded annually since 1936 with a three-year hiatus during the Second World War.