AUSTRALIAN OPEN

February 5, 2021

Bianca Andreescu

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Obviously you pulled out of the Grampians Trophy a few days ago. Talk to us how you're feeling, how you're preparing for the Australian Open?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: Yeah, first of all, hi, people, it's been a while. Yeah, it's been a really long while. But I'm happy to be back.

Yeah, me pulling out of the tournament, it was mainly because I had two weeks of not training, and I didn't want to take the risk of having just a couple of days' preparation before the tournament. That was the main reason.

I'm healthy, though. I'm ready to go.

Q. It's been such a stop-start run for you over the last couple of years. I know you're happy to be back on the court. Are you able to put into words how excited you are to be playing a major for the first time in a while?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: I've never experienced anything like that. I'm sure a lot of people haven't. I haven't been off for more than a year, more than other people.

But I've been through a five-month period. I know it's not the same thing. I kind of know what to expect going into a big tournament without playing tournaments.

I've prepared in the best way that I could. I had a good five-month pre-season, I would say. Yeah, at this point I'm just super grateful to be back, healthy. And, yeah, I'm really looking forward to it.

Q. When you pulled out of the Grampians Trophy, were you conscious of any of the noise that was happening on social media? There definitely was a bit of a reaction. Oh, no, not again. What's happened now? Were you nervous about pulling out, what potentially people might think?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: Yeah, yeah, I know. I saw a tag from TSN saying, Oh, Bianca's first tournament back, blah, blah, blah. I'm like, Oh, God. Here we go again.

I made sure to post on social media that I'm good, I'm ready to go. Yeah, I don't know. Am I the only person that pulled out? So we're good on that note (laughter).

Q. Was it something where you were going to see how you felt on the court and then you don't really want to play a match tomorrow? Or was it a matter of this didn't feel right? What is something you felt from experience?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: Yeah, well, I made some mistakes in the past with that. I learnt from it. That was kind of the main objective because I told myself that I'd have at least before a big tournament a good week where I can play sets before actually going into a tournament. Having those two weeks off, that doesn't help at all. Yeah, I can do gym fitness, shadow tennis, but that's not the same as being on the court. I didn't want to make the same mistake.

I was just grateful enough to have a week training before the Australian Open. I've been playing matches. I've been playing sets. I've been feeling good.

The mentality was, from the start, that I probably wouldn't play, but I wanted to see how I'd feel on the court. We just thought that it didn't make sense.

Q. Regarding the, Oh, no, not again sort of thing. How are you feeling physically? Are you rid of all the issues, the injuries you've experienced in the last couple years? Are you feeling totally fit at the moment?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: Yeah, I am. I'm working really, really hard to, like I say, prevent as much as possible. Sometimes you really can't. Things just happen.

Right now I had a long period where I can focus on those things and train to the best of my capabilities, which I've been doing.

Yeah, I'm healthy, like I said. I don't always want to focus on the past. I want to focus on the future now. Yeah, I'm good.

Q. One of the last times we saw you on court was the China Open final against Naomi. People still talk about that match being one of the best of that season. Naomi was in here the other day and said she would like to play you in a Grand Slam final. What do you make of that when you hear that? What do you think?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: Yeah, that match was incredible. I'm sure me and Naomi will have many great matches ahead. Yeah, it could be as soon as possible maybe if I can get some matches in before because I know she's been playing last year. That would be very helpful.

But, yeah, I'm definitely looking forward to it. I love playing against her. It's always a battle. I love a challenge, so yeah.

Q. What did you do during the two weeks quarantine time to keep yourself healthy mentally and physically? What were you doing to kill time?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: Yeah, a lot of XBOX, I might say. That was, like, half of my day. You can only do Zoom fitness and shadow tennis for so long. But, yeah, I've been playing a lot of XBOX, which I really enjoy. It takes my mind off a lot of things. I get to interact with my friends. I know it's not in person, but what can you do when you're stuck in the room?

Yeah, I did that. Stare at a wall for a couple minutes a day, too (smiling). Yeah, I've been reading a lot, meditating, doing my imagery work like usual.

I was in Canada during the lockdown so I had an experience of how it would be like. It wasn't too bad for me, just not being on the court and not seeing people. Obviously it was tough. After we got out of quarantine, it was a relief. Yeah, it took a couple minutes for my eyes to adjust getting out because I could only see, like, 10 feet in front of me.

Yeah, I made the times as best I could productive.

Q. How is Sylvain doing?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: He's doing well. He had to stay one more day in the quarantine. Overall he's feeling well. I'm super, super happy that he was able to get out, he was okay. I know this virus can be a biach to some people. I've experienced it with people close to me so I know it's not easy. For sure, the whole quarantine process wasn't easy for anyone, but especially the people that actually caught it.

But my whole team was negative, thankfully. Yeah, super happy to be back with him. He was the missing puzzle piece the first day, but yeah.

Q. Could you clarify, what exactly happened to your left knee in October 2019?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: It was a meniscus tear.

Q. I want to talk about the most recent setback, which was the two weeks being forced to stay in your hotel room, so close to finally getting back on the court. Do you ever feel like the universe was kind of conspiring against you? How do you keep your morale high with another setback?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: I try not to have that mindset. Obviously I have bad days where I think to myself, ask myself why me, why is this happening, blah, blah, blah. I really do believe that everything happens for a reason, as cliché as that might sound.

I try to focus on the things I can control. I can't stress that enough. I always say it. But that really helps me stay less stressful than if I don't follow that rule.

I try to kind of use these things and think of these things as an advantage towards me, my body, my mind. For instance, I trained for, like I said, five months before that, so maybe it was a good thing for my body to rest a little bit and my mind, too. I was able to do other things, like play my XBOX, just read a little bit more, focus on myself, just enjoy my time off.

Q. You must be rearing to go at this point?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: Oh, yeah, more than ever (smiling).

Q. How has your mental prep changed after almost a year and a half without competition?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: I still have the same goals, same mindset. It's just different. I haven't played in a while, so I don't really have much expectations going on the court.

I had some practice matches, practice sets, but it's obviously not the same. I've actually also, one thing I missed that I was doing during the quarantine, I was watching myself play back in 2019. I really got into the mood, into the mindset. I felt the same things like I did in 2019, which I think really helps me just get in character.

It really inspired me, too, just watching myself play again. I don't normally like to do that. But I think it was good for me since I haven't played for so long.

Hopefully that can help me bounce back on the court quicker.

Q. What are you most excited about in your return to a major?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: A lot of things. Traveling is always super nice, traveling to the best places in the world, playing the best tournaments, eating the best food, seeing you guys of course, just doing my thing. This is what I love to do. I'm super passionate. I love to win. So hopefully I can do that, as well.

Q. You talk about watching those old matches. How do you feel you're different in the last year that has changed?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: From then? Like match-wise, on court?

Q. Just as a person, how you feel you've changed. Do you feel different on the court practicing now than you did maybe two years ago?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: On court I don't feel so different during practice. During matches, I have no idea how it's going to be. But I never truly take a break. Like, yeah, I'll take a break when I'm on the court, but I'm always working in my mind. My mind is going on 24/7 with all that imagery work. There's many studies that show imagery work is just as good as actually doing that specific thing that you're picturing in your head.

I don't really think my return to play will be that dramatic just because of that. I mean, I really don't know how it's going to be. I really trust in my capabilities. Also the time off, I was able to reflect a lot on myself, on the world, how things have changed so dramatically all at once.

I've learnt a lot about that, about myself. So I feel like I'm in a really good place right now mentally, physically, emotionally, all of that.

Q. What XBOX games have you been playing?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: I played Call of Duty.

Q. You talked a little bit about what you're most looking forward to. As you think about your return to competition after a while, what do you think might be the hardest part about getting back on a court and competing?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: I know I'm going to be sore as hell after my first match. That's for sure. I'm not looking forward to it. When I played my first practice set, not match, I was so sore the next day.

But with all the emotions, all the adrenaline, it's going to be a bit more emphasized, I feel like. I think that's the main part. Obviously just, like I said, not playing for a long time, I don't know how I'm going to feel. I'll probably be really, really nervous, more nervous than usual.

I don't feel like I have too much pressure on my shoulders. Yes, I'm seeded, but I haven't played in so long. I just want to go out there and play where I have the mindset I'm so goddamn grateful to be on the court.

Q. To clarify, you mentioned that first time out there feeling sore. When was that?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: That was a couple months ago. Two and a half months ago, two months ago about.