Face of Nation : At a public rally set for Sunday afternoon, the teenage tennis star will be given a key to the city, while officials will also unveil an “Andreescu Way” street sign (although the street itself has yet to be selected).
“Mississauga is planning the biggest tribute possible for our local hometown champion,” said Mayor Bonnie Crombie in an interview on Friday. Andreescu, 19, has been basking in her U.S. Open victory since touching down in Canada this week — even fielding a message from Drake.
She’s had a meteoric rise over the last year, culminating in her win against Serena Williams this past Saturday. She also beat Williams in early August to take the Rogers Cup. Andreescu is now the first Canadian to win a Grand Slam singles title.
On Sunday, her fans are invited to Celebration Square in Mississauga for a public rally at 4:30 p.m., which Crombie predicts could draw as many as 30,000 people. “People are brimming with pride,” she said. “This is our hometown girl. She was born and raised [here], attended elementary school here, trained at our very own Ontario Racquet Club.”
