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US OPEN

September 4, 2019

Bianca Andreescu

New York, NY, USA

B. ANDREESCU/E. Mertens

3-6, 6-2, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Right after the victory you looked over to your box with an anguished look, like, It wasn't good enough?
BIANCA ANDREESCU: When? After the match?

Q. Like right after. You looked at them with this anguished look on your face. Only later you sat down with a smile.
BIANCA ANDREESCU: I said, Is this real life? Twice. I couldn't really believe it at that moment. But then when I sat down, I just couldn't stop smiling, like I can't now (smiling).

Q. You talked about getting "it" together after you lost the first set. What did you specifically do to turn things around in the match today?
BIANCA ANDREESCU: I just told myself to keep fighting and hope that I can switch things around basically. I tried to stay more aggressive than the first set, and I felt like I was missing a lot in the first set, as well.

I saw that she was picking on my backhand a lot, so I tried to go more down the line with my backhand so she can go back to my forehand so I can use my forehand, because I like my forehand (smiling).

So she executed some good tactics in the first set. Yeah, I just told myself to just keep fighting and to not give up. That was the main thing.

Q. How would you describe the passion and hard work it took just to get your career going and now to get to this new level?
BIANCA ANDREESCU: It took a lot of hard work. The passion's always there, though. Even through the tough times I try to stay as optimistic as I can.

If someone told me that I was going to be in the semifinals of the US Open a year ago, I would say, You're crazy. So I'm just really proud of myself with how I dealt injury-wise while I was injured. I kept that passion going.

Q. You mentioned that you played on many big stadiums, but New York in a slam is another kettle of fish. You also earlier talked about this process which sounded wonderful about creative visualization and being very calm and taking the first half hour of the day and just be with yourself. Is that something you have kept up with? Are you doing it here and has it helped you?
BIANCA ANDREESCU: Yeah, so I started meditating and visualizing ever since I was 12 or 13 when my mom introduced it to me, and I know it wasn't such a big thing back then, but now it's getting more popular because I think if you can control your mind, then you can control a lot of things.

I think that's what's been working really well for me. I just kept doing that. When I'm on the court in front of these big stages, I'm really good at just blocking everything and staying in the zone.

Q. Just to that point, how challenging were the conditions tonight? It felt stifling inside that stadium with the heat. How challenging is that for you?
BIANCA ANDREESCU: Yeah, it was really, really humid. I was sweating after the first game. It's not easy, but it's something you can't really control. So I just used my towel every point, because I was sweating like crazy. But I'm glad I didn't get too pissed at that (smiling).

Q. You're into the semifinals. I'm curious, do you think you played your best tennis to get to this stage of the tournament? If the answer is no, what do you think that says about you?
BIANCA ANDREESCU: You mean like throughout this tournament if I played my best tennis?

I'm going to be honest. I don't think I played my best tennis. I just fought really well with what I had every single day. I think that's the most important thing for me, and I'm sure for every athlete you're not going to have good days every day.

So I just try my best to figure out what's going well and what's not and just go from there.

Q. You said if someone told you a year ago you'd be in the semis here you wouldn't believe it. I think if somebody told you two weeks ago you'd probably also nod. Now that there's two rounds left, where do you think you're going to end up at the end of this tournament?
BIANCA ANDREESCU: At this point I think anyone can win the tournament. The other semifinalists are incredible athletes, tennis players. So I know it's not going to be easy tomorrow, and if I win tomorrow, in the finals, as well.

So I'm just going to take in this moment now. I think I play tomorrow, so hopefully I can do good things tomorrow.

Q. You already won Indian Wells and Canada, big tournaments, and you have proved to win big tournaments on a big stage. Why are you so shocked being in the semifinal of US Open? It's very different, or...
BIANCA ANDREESCU: Well, I mean, I think anyone would be shocked to be in the semifinals of a Grand Slam, because all of us dream of this moment ever since we're kids, ever since we picked up a racquet.

I definitely think that I have fought really hard to get to this point, so I think I do deserve to be here and hopefully I can go all the way.

Q. What's making you so good in these three-setters? You have done quite well in them lately.
BIANCA ANDREESCU: I'm just fighting really hard. It's not over till it's over. I have had many situations where I have come back from 5-0 down and won the match, and even vice versa, I was up 5-0 and then my opponents came back and won the match, as well.

You never really know, so I just try to play every point like it's the last.

Q. You're two wins away from being Canada's first singles Grand Slam champion. Does that enter your mind at all? Have you thought what it would mean to you?
BIANCA ANDREESCU: No, that hasn't really entered my mind, but that would be pretty awesome. If it happens, then I think I can pave way for many other athletes, the next generation, not only for Canadian tennis but I think for many people.

Q. Your popularity seems to grow by the day. Steve Nash put something on Twitter earlier. What does that mean to you?
BIANCA ANDREESCU: It's really cool having other Canadian athletes shout me out like that. I think it gives me extra motivation to just keep striving and keep doing well.

Q. Catching the history and weight of this moment, do you have any estimation how many years ago was the first and only one besides you, a Canadian who reached the semifinal at the US Open? How many years ago?
BIANCA ANDREESCU: Oh, I didn't know there was a pop quiz (smiling). Was it Patricia Hy? Oh, shoot. I need to learn my history.

Q. 110 years ago, exactly. Lois Moyes. Any information about this lady? She was born in Bedford Park, close to your birth place in Toronto. She's a Hall of Famer in Canada. Any information about her?
BIANCA ANDREESCU: Well, I have heard her name many times before. I have never watched her play, though. What she did was incredible, so I'm glad that I can follow in her footsteps.

Q. They showed your mother with your dog. I felt like I got to know more of where you got your swag from.
BIANCA ANDREESCU: Oh, man. She's going to love what you said if I show her this. Yeah, my mom's honestly the coolest person I know, and she's my role model. I have looked up to her ever since I was little.

Yeah, it's just awesome to have her support and just to have not only her support but my whole entire family's support. Yeah, it's just great. I'll definitely tell her that.

Q. Do you get your confidence from her?
BIANCA ANDREESCU: Yeah, I think so. I think so.

Q. You play next a player you haven't played yet. What have you seen from Belinda? What are your impressions of what's most challenging about her game?
BIANCA ANDREESCU: I have practiced with her once actually in Toronto. I found that she takes the ball really early. She likes to be very aggressive. She has a very good serve. She moves pretty well, too.

So I'm going to do my best to just focus on myself mainly and just keep doing what I'm doing, because I think my game is throwing off a lot of players.

Q. A lot of great players have back stories of their families coming to North America with very little. It was mentioned that your parents came to Canada with just two suitcases. Could you just take a moment and talk a little bit about the back story there and what was involved in their coming to Canada?
BIANCA ANDREESCU: Yeah, so I think they emigrated in 1995. Back then, Romania was having problems with Ceausesc. So they wanted to just have a better life, so they came into Canada. Canada was very welcoming with immigrants.

I think they made the right decision, because without Tennis Canada's support, I don't think I would have been here today.

Q. So they were not stopped at the border?
BIANCA ANDREESCU: Oh, I have no idea. No, no, they didn't. I don't think so.

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