‘It sounds dramatic’ – Bianca Andreescu opens up after Stuttgart victory ends six-month hiatus

Bianca Andreescu has made a winning start to her comeback by downing home talent Jule Niemeier to advance to the second round of the WTA 500 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix. 

The 2019 US Open champion took down the German world number 108 7-6 (7-5), 6-3 in her first competitive match since bowing out of Indian Wells in October last year.

Now ranked 121st in the world, Andreescu accepted a wildcard to get her season up and running at the indoor clay event as she looks to rebuild her ranking.

When asked in her post-match interview about her recent comments where she revealed considering quitting the sport altogether, Andreescu confirmed those comments.

She said: “I was struggling a lot mentally [during my last comeback and time away].

“I just wasn’t enjoying myself out there, I really identified myself too much with the sport.

“Whenever I lost, it sounds a bit dramatic, but I hated myself, and when I won I loved myself.

“It was kind of like that.”

She went on to say that she had lost her previous joy of just playing, regardless of whether she won or lost, something she wants to recapture moving forward.

The former world number four added that as long as she has the right mindset, enjoys herself on court and giving her all, good results will come down the road.

She said: “So, I just going to focus on that.”

Andreescu has suffered continued injury woes since her 2019 triumph in New York, struggles that persisted into 2021 as she played just 30 matches across 13 events last year.

Next in Stuttgart, the 21-year-old faces world number four and 2021 finalist Aryna Sabalenka for a place in the quarter-finals.

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