NEW YORK — Bianca Andreescu could only laugh. The 2019 US Open champion was locked in a tough battle with No.5 seed Jasmine Paolini in the first round when she struck a spinning reflex volley with such vicious backspin that the ball bounced back on her side of the net for a clean winner.
Serving with a break advantage in the first set, Andreescu was drawn into the net by a short return from Paolini. The Canadian opted to take her forehand hard crosscourt and followed the ball in, only for Paolini to strike a lunging forehand pass that should have been good enough to win the point.
But not against Andreescu.
Andreescu anticipated the drive down the line and tried a one-handed backhand stab that caught the ball perfectly. As Andreescu spun a full 360 degrees to regain her balance, the ball floated over the net, and before a charging Paolini could track down a reply, it spun back over to Andreescu’s side for a winner.
Andreescu’s reaction said it all:
The 24-year-old put her hands on her hips and doubled over in stunned laughter. And despite the tense juncture of the match, Paolini flashed an impressed smile as she walked to the baseline to take the next point.
Andreescu’s reaction was reminiscent of another remarkable lunching winner. That one came at the 2021 Miami Open against Garbiñe Muguruza:
Andreescu’s razzle-dazzle is what was needed to squeak out a tight first set against the fifth-seeded Paolini, but the Italian would go on to win the match 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-4 to notch her third straight victory over the Canadian. In fact, Paolini has proven a tough foil for Andreescu, knocking her out of the last three Grand Slams.
Source: https://www.wtatennis.com/news/4098617/watch-andreescu-shocks-everyone-with-a-spinning-volley-at-the-us-open
