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US OPEN

August 31, 2019

Bianca Andreescu

New York, NY, USA

B. ANDREESCU/C. Wozniacki

6-4, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How did you feel out there?
BIANCA ANDREESCU: I felt really good. I started off the match pretty well, and then the second set, as well. I was up 3-Love but then as expected she found a way and she changed a couple of things. I felt like I relaxed a little bit.

But then I put things together, and then I managed to pull through in the end.

Q. First match on Ashe, how did that feel?
BIANCA ANDREESCU: It was so fun. The atmosphere isn't like playing in the evening, obviously, but I still felt the energy. This is why US Open is so special. So hopefully I can play many more matches on the court.

Q. I was wondering what was going through your mind a little bit as you were walking out and walking on to the court, being your first time on Ashe and on a big stage like that?
BIANCA ANDREESCU: I was, like, Oh, my God, is this actually happening right now? It's a dream come true, so I prepared myself really well. I handled my emotions well today.

Q. After the match, Wozniacki was asked about your game, and she likened it to Kim Clijsters. I was wondering what your memories are of Kim Clijsters and what you think of that comparison?
BIANCA ANDREESCU: I actually looked up to her a lot while I was just coming up, when I started playing tennis. So that's really nice to hear from other players, because I think my game is pretty similar to hers. Not as good yet.

But, yeah, she's an incredible fighter. She's very solid all around. She can volley, she can slice, dropshot. And she's very consistent, as well. She chooses her targets and she has a very good serve and return. She's very strong mentally.

Q. A question about inspiration. I talked to Marcos Baghdatis at Wimbledon. He told me his career was inspired by the Greek team. I wonder if you have something that inspired you and what inspires you now?
BIANCA ANDREESCU: Well, I just loved the sport from the beginning. I don't think anything really inspired me to keep pursuing the game. I just really loved it right from the start.

But I think my win at Le Petit As really opened my eyes. I think I was 13 at the time. I really liked the environment. I was playing in front of thousands of people. I was signing autographs, giving interviews at the end of matches.

So I think maybe that tournament really sparked everything.

Q. When was that?
BIANCA ANDREESCU: I think it was 2013 or '14.

Q. You have come and won two big hard court tournaments on this continent already. Does this feel like just another one of those that you know how to handle and comfortable with? Or is this markedly different because it's a Grand Slam?
BIANCA ANDREESCU: Well, I think it's obviously different because it's a Grand Slam, there's more at stake, obviously. But I don't try to focus on that. When I step on court I'm really good at blocking my surroundings, and I'm just in the zone from A to Z. Well, I try to. I try my best.

But, yeah, my two wins before this tournament, Indian Wells and Rogers Cup, obviously is giving me a lot of confidence.

Q. After the shoulder injury that sidelined you for quite a few months this year, have you made any changes in the way you recover between matches or in the way you do injury prevention during your fitness training? Is there anything that you've changed because of the injury?
BIANCA ANDREESCU: 100%. When you feel pain, then there has to be a change. I think I'm recovering way better than I ever have. I have a personal physio with me, so I think that's really helping.

I'm paying more attention to how many tournaments I play in the year and how many back-to-back. I think scheduling is very important and making sure I have enough rest as possible.

Q. You ran into Coco Gauff this morning as you were both doing your warmup for your Arthur Ashe debut, your US Open debut. Two teenagers. You greeted each other quite warmly. Did you know her at all?
BIANCA ANDREESCU: No, that was actually the first time we met face to face. I told her congrats on all the success. Keep killing it. NextGen is here (smiling).

Q. Does it feel like you have not lost a completed match since early March?
BIANCA ANDREESCU: I mean, yeah. Facts are facts, right (smiling)?

Yeah, I don't feel like I have lost a match, no.

Q. What does that feel like?
BIANCA ANDREESCU: Well, it feels pretty good, because you never know what can happen in a match. I'm trying not to take anything for granted right now. I'm just going to keep doing what I'm doing.

Q. You have done a lot of Instagram Q&As the last few months. Seems like you interact with a lot of the people who respond. Why do you enjoy doing that and what do you like about those experiences?
BIANCA ANDREESCU: It's really fun, because like you said, I interact with the fans and I think that's a great way to do so. It just gets my, I don't know, personality out there, too.

Q. What's your strategy and mindset going into a match with Taylor Townsend?
BIANCA ANDREESCU: I'm not really focusing on that right now, but I'm going to go into it like I do every other match. Going to prepare like I always prepare. I played doubles against her actually yesterday. I kind of know what to expect. I know she loves coming to the net. She has incredible volleys.

I'll for sure work on some passing shots tomorrow during my practice (smiling).

Q. Of course she's an American. A lot of people will be cheering for her. Do you like these kind of challenges?
BIANCA ANDREESCU: Yeah, I like it. I think it gives me an extra push, but I felt the crowd even today. But even when we played Taylor and Whitney in doubles, I felt a lot of the crowd support, as well.

Q. Do you have any plan in order to stop Taylor Townsend coming to the net all the time, like a plan B, let's say?
BIANCA ANDREESCU: Well, there aren't a lot of players that play like her, so I'm going to do my best to figure out what to do when she comes to the net. Like I said, I'm going to work on my passing shots tomorrow and stay as aggressive as I can.

Q. She already has two Romanian victims.
BIANCA ANDREESCU: Oh, that's true. She played... What's the question?

Oh, just a statement, yeah (smiling). Good for her.

Q. Yourself and Denis Shapovalov, Felix Auger- Aliassime have raised the profile of Canadian tennis a lot. Before your emergence, Gabriela Dabrowski in doubles has been the top player for a good number of years. What's your relationship with Gabriela? And is she an inspiration what she's done in the doubles before yourself and a couple other singles players have emerged?
BIANCA ANDREESCU: Of course she's doing incredibly well in doubles. She was the first woman Canadian tennis player to win a Grand Slam in anything really, right? I think so. So that's incredible.

I think it gives not only me but a lot of Canadians motivation to do what she did. She's an incredible person. I know her pretty well. We've played Fed Cup many, many times together, and when we are in the locker room we're always chatting. She's very smart, too.

Q. Now that you're heading into the second week of the tournament, what's it mean for you to be this far in a Grand Slam?
BIANCA ANDREESCU: It means a lot, because this is my best result in a Grand Slam. I'm really, really pumped.

Q. Have you ever played anyone who comes to the net every single point as Townsend has been doing?
BIANCA ANDREESCU: Nope. Never. Excited for the challenge, though.

Q. I'm asking you to elaborate a bit about "NextGen is here." What are your thoughts about NextGen and how long this transition might take?
BIANCA ANDREESCU: To expand on that, I'd say it's because you see a lot of young players doing really well right now, and I think it's really good for the game. You see many fresh faces, and I think we're only going to get better from here.

Q. Where does your nickname Bibi come from?
BIANCA ANDREESCU: My mom would always call me that when I was younger, but I think people just caught on. I don't know. Because of my name, my name starts with a B, so I guess it's easier to find nicknames for that. People call me B, Bibi, some people call me Flying B, Queen B, Roller Coaster B because of what happened in Toronto. But honestly, whatever you guys want to call me, call me.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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