Four months after returning to action, Ontario sensation Bianca Andreescu says she’s pumped up for the last major tournament of the season.
Posted at 3:20 p.m.
The Mississauga native approaches the US Open, which she won in 2019, confident, after an encouraging run at the National Bank Open.
“I know I can beat any player on the circuit,” Andreescu said ahead of the tournament that gets underway Monday in New York. I just have to focus on the task in front of me and be in a good frame of mind. I believe in myself, in my abilities. I myself am my biggest challenge.
I’m absolutely more confident right now than I’ve been all year, which is great because I had a lot of tough times last year.
Bianca Andreescu
Andreescu, 22, competed in the National Bank Open, which she also won in 2019, after recovering from a back problem that plagued her the previous week.
While back pain didn’t bother her in Toronto, the time needed to recover cut into her preparation time. She was then bothered by different issues during her first-round match against Daria Kasatkina, then number 9 in the world.
Andreescu won despite “seeing double” in the first-set tiebreaker and “dized out”. She did not give up and showed perseverance.
After a victory against the French Alizé Cornet, Andreescu finally gave up in the third round against the Chinese Zheng Qinwen.
“When you play against high-ranked players and you get away with it, it helps,” said Andreescu, currently 50e in the world. Daria Kasatkina had just won (in San Jose, Calif.) and she had the wind in her sails coming into the tournament. This victory showed me that my level was good and that I can accomplish great things.
“Even my match against Alizé, I had lost twice against her and it was good to have my revenge. Then my next opponent played very well. I won the second run and showed character. »
Now that back pain is a thing of the past, Andreescu is aiming for a second Grand Slam title.
I want to win the tournament, absolutely! When I start a tournament, I always aim to win it, she said. Obviously there is a whole process and I have to have fun on the pitch. I want to give 100%, prepare well and give everything until the end. That’s what’s important to me, in addition to staying healthy.
Bianca Andreescu
Andreescu has bounced back this season, climbing 71 places in the world rankings since returning to action at the Porsche Grand Prix tennis tournament in April. It was her first tournament since December 2021, when she wanted to take a break for her mental health and physical well-being.
In the first round in New York on Monday, Andreescu will cross swords with France’s Harmony Tan, 111e in the world.