Five years on from the pinnacle of her career, Bianca Andreescu is hoping to recreate some magic this week in Toronto.
The Canadian tennis star gets her National Bank Open tournament started later tonight when she takes on Ukrainian Lesia Tsurenko in the round of 64.
“I mean, I grew up on these courts. So being back always brings nostalgic feelings. Yeah, regarding the past five years, definitely not the easiest career, I would say. But I’ve been counting my blessings even through the hard times,” Andreescu told the media on Monday in Toronto.
For anyone who knows a bit about her career, they’ll know how crucial her home courts have been to her success. Less than a month before Andreescu captured the first Grand Slam singles title in Canadian history at the US Open in 2019, she won the Canadian Open title (then called the Rogers Cup) with a win over Serena Williams, who retired in the first set due to back spasms.
But Andreescu’s career hasn’t quite blossomed like she would’ve liked since skyrocketing to fourth in the WTA rankings five years ago.
A recurring knee injury that began in 2021 and an ankle injury in 2023 have derailed Andreescu’s stardom, as she’s yet to reach a quarterfinal in a Grand Slam since her US Open win.
For the now 24-year-old, meditation is one of the keys to keeping her mental health strong.
“It’s been helping tremendously,” Andreescu said in response to a question asked by Daily Hive. “Just staying positive. I mean, it’s very cliche, but that’s what it is. The more positive thoughts you have, the more positivity you attract, and vice versa with negative emotions. So I think yeah, that’s the main thing.”
Andreescu spoke last year about considering quitting tennis altogether in 2021, a topic she revisited this week.
“[Staying positive is] honestly what’s gotten me to the point of not wanting, as harsh as it sounds. quit the sport because it was very brutal at some points,” Andreescu added. “For me, I’ve defined success as being happy in your own skin and being your most authentic self. So that’s what I’m trying to portray as much as I can on and off the court, on social media. And yeah, if people don’t like it… I don’t really give a s**t anymore.”
At her first appearance at the Olympic Games this year, Andreescu was bounced in singles by Donna Vekic in straight sets in the second round.
“There’s just no feeling like it,” Andreescu said of the Olympic experience earlier this week. “For me, being at the Olympics has been a dream. There’s one thing to say that you want to go to the Olympics and have that goal, but then actually being there, it’s just a whole other feeling.”
As one of the faces of Canadian tennis, Andreescu is well aware of how many fans in attendance this week will be rooting her on.
“I know there’s always gonna be pressure, whether it’s from other people or the pressure I put on myself, but the pressure I put on myself now is more of just do your best type of thing, win or lose, obviously I want to win, but the universe doesn’t work like that. So I’m just trusting in divine timing. I’ve been saying that a lot,” she added.
Andreescu’s match kicks off the night session at Centre Court at Sobeys Stadium in Toronto, with things getting underway at 7 pm ET/4 pm PT.
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