When she walks on to centre court tonight in Flushing, N,Y., Bianca Andreescu will be doing something no Canadian has done in 35 years—play in a U.S. Open semifinal.

“I need someone to pinch me right now,” the 19-year-old from Mississauga said after beating Elise Mertens in three sets in last night’s quarterfinal match.

“Honestly, is this real life?”

Andreescu continues to surprise the tennis world with her poise, intensity and humour.

The last Canadian to make it to a final four at Flushing Meadows told CTV News Toronto she was impressed by what she sees.

“She plays the whole game,” Carling Bassett-Seguso said on Thursday. “She doesn’t just play the tennis court. She tells a story with her shots.”

Bassett-Seguso was 16-years-old when she lost to Chris Evert in the 1984 U.S. Open semifinals. She was in New York last weekend and watched as Andreescu beat former world number one Caroline Wozniacki in straight sets. She says she doesn’t expect to see nerves from the teen tonight when she plays Belinda Bencic, the tournament’s 13th seed.

“I think she’s going to come out there and you’re just going to feel that light teeming from her.”

Andreescu is in the midst of a break-out season, winning at Indian Wells in March and capturing the Rogers Cup in Toronto last month. She has steadily climbed the tennis rankings and is poised to crack the top 10 when the new rankings come out on Monday.

“This is the largest tennis venue in the world, and so far Andreescu is three and zero in it,” said TSN’s Mark Roe, who has been covering the final grand slam of the tennis calendar. “No stage, no spotlight, no opponent is too big for Bianca Andreescu.”

Her ability to thrive under intense pressure is something her former coach says has set her apart from her peers since she was young.

“She has shown grit and being able to maintain composure,” said Yves Boulais, the director of tennis at the Ontario Racquet Club. “I have a lot of confidence in her.”

Andreescu is just the fourth woman to make it to the U.S. Open semifinals in her debut appearance, joining Chris Evert, Pam Shriver and Venus Williams. Williams’ sister Serena Williams is playing in the other semifinal Thursday night, facing off against Elina Svitolina.

The women’s final will be played Saturday at 4 p.m.