Counter punchers can often be neglected when talking about sheer talent because they do not have the same dominance off the serve and attack that others at the top-end of the WTA Tour might have. However when it comes to 20-year-old Bianca Andreescu, she proved in her final teenage year that she was more than capable of getting to the top, winning the US Open and a number of top-line events on her way to the Top 5 in 2019. While she did not get out on court in 2020, she used the year as a season to recuperate and will now eye off 2021 and pick-up where she left of, as one of the more unique tennis players on the WTA circuit.

STYLE: Dominant counter puncher

STRENGTHS:

• Forehand power
• Forehand consistency
• Forehand down the line
• Forehand cross court
• Forehand inside in
• Forehand slice
• Forehand effectiveness
• Second serve success
• Forehand return
• First and second serve return
• Backhand down the line
• Baseline approach
• Net dominance

IMPROVEMENTS:

• First serve consistency
• First serve success
• Return consistency
• Drop shot
• Serve & Volley
• Volley consistency

Andreescu's dominance that led her to success including a huge US Open final win over Serena Williams, came from the then-teenager's ability to win consistent points off her forehand side. She is the quintessential counter puncher when she can dominate off her preferred side, to the point where stats suggest she might have the best forehand on Tour. If not the best, then certainly the most effective, and she does not have too many flaws when unleashing a forehand on her opponents. A great blend of power, touch and consistency makes her a difficult opponent to play, and wins a high number of points through cross court, down the line, inside in and slice shots, as well as winning rallies that last any distance. In short, few players can match Andreescu when it comes to variety and consistency from the forehand.

The backhand side, while not as dominant as the forehand, is still a huge strength for the Canadian. Her down the line shot is her preferred shot selection, and she is not afraid to approach the net where she can take control and use the angles well. her volleying itself is not as great as it could be, but her footwork and positioning, even if off the half-volley or mid-court makes up for it with impressive, aggressive shots. If she begins to nail more volleys consistently, then it will only make her an even stronger player.

The other aspect Andreescu could improve is her serve, with her first serve consistency and success rate down compared to others, which is why she is often scrambling from her second serve or from behind in her service games. She is still young, but needs to improve her higher rate of first serves because she has a low dominance rating in that area, and a similarly low return rate. Once into a rally, Andreescu wears down opponents with her angles and shot selection, but she could save herself a lot of time and effort by making improvements in those areas.