Bianca Andreescu is not thinking about retiring from tennis anytime soon.
Andreescu won the US Open in 2019, but she has not won a single WTA title since then.
The Canadian has dealt with many injury issues in the past seven years, with Andreescu returning to the WTA Tour just last month.
After Andreescu won her first qualifying match against Suzan Lamens at the Miami Open 4-6, 6-1, 7-5, the 25-year-old explained why she is still competing.
Bianca Andreescu states that she still has ‘desire’ to compete
Andreescu is the current world number 146, and therefore is only able to play qualifying at the Miami Open, where she reached the final in 2021.
When speaking to the miamiopen.com after her first qualifying win, Andreescu admitted that she could have retired from tennis in recent years.
However, Andreescu insisted that she still has a desire to compete and play as much as she can on the WTA Tour.
“I could have stopped many times,” said Andreescu. “I have that desire [to play] for sure. There is a reason why I keep coming back. Everybody talks about how addicting it can be, the highs, even the lows.
“Sports brings people together. It gives such a beautiful life in a way. As an athlete you get to travel the world and play on the biggest stages. You get to inspire other people.
“I just want to play as much as I can. It’s all about the effort and intention you put behind everything you do.”
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Bianca Andreescu admits she realised something after playing ITF matches
Although the former US Open champion only returned to the WTA Tour last month, after Andreescu withdrew from Australian Open qualifying she decided to play lower-level ITF tournaments instead.
Andreescu was rewarded for this decision, as she won titles at the ITF 35k event in Bradenton and 75k tournament in Vero Beach, and has subsequently climbed from outside the top 200 to inside the top 150.
When explaining her decision to compete at a lower level despite being a Grand Slam champion, Andreescu claimed that some ITF level players are fighting harder than players at the top of the WTA Tour.
“If I’m healthy, I want to play,” said Andreescu. “I don’t care what kind of tournament it is. Obviously, I feel like before there was some ego involved for sure, like I’m never going back to ITFs, but I don’t want people to think ITFs are like Mickey Mouse.
“You can try to incorporate everything you can into practice, but it’s never the same. These girls are fighting even harder than some of [higher ranked women]. It’s that hunger.
“I’ve had some crazy matches, too, on the ITF side. It was great for my body just to really put myself in the position of playing matches, whether it’s an easier match or a tougher match.”
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After winning two ITF titles, Andreescu lost in the first round of her first WTA tournaments in Austin and Indian Wells, but she then went on to return to Austin for a WTA 125 event, where she reached the final.
Andreescu will now look to book her place into the main draw of the Miami Open, as she takes on American Katie Volynets.
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