MIAMI OPEN PRESENTED BY ITAú

March 23, 2021

Bianca Andreescu

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What have the last few weeks been like for you since Australia?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: They were very productive. I've been working a lot on different aspects of things, mentally, just reflecting a lot on playing my first tournament back, as well.

Obviously still working a lot physically and preventing a lot of things. Just feeling good out there.

Q. How would you feel you are for this week? Do you feel 100% ready? Do you have any goals, expectations for yourself?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: I'm doing really, really good coming into this tournament. Yeah, obviously every tournament I want to win. Every tournament I go into I want to win. I want to focus more on the process towards that, which is enjoying my time on court, giving all that I have, just trusting myself.

Q. The process of returning to competition has been a very big start and stop in the past few months. I was wondering, are you worried at all about your physical integrity? This has happened a lot. Is there something in the back of your mind or are you completely confident that it's going to get fixed?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: I definitely think that it's going to get fixed. I don't think there was anything really broken. It's just going through things, gaining experience. This is technically my second year on tour, so I don't want to put a lot of pressure on myself in that area. But I'm doing my best in preventing a lot of stuff, working a lot in the gym.

I do believe that things will be getting better.

Q. What is it like to have the Miami Open back? How do you feel about it? Are you excited, fired up about it?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: Yeah, Miami is one of my favorite cities. I love the tournament. I did pretty well at it two years ago. Sadly I had to retire. But overall it was a great experience.

I'm super excited that it could go on this year. I know last year it wasn't possible, but I'm super excited this year.

Q. What is your relationship with Roger Federer in terms of is he a mentor at all? Do you stay in contact with him?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: Roger Federer?

Q. Yes.

BIANCA ANDREESCU: We've actually never met before. I might have taken a picture with him when I was little. I don't really remember. But I've seen him play ever since I was little.

He's such a great role model for me, as well, for many, many people. He's really given tennis a lot. He's one of the best of all time. He's definitely a very big role model.

Q. There's been a lot of talk lately about the possibility of the women moving to a best-of-five-set format in the slams, possibly for the whole tournament, or after the quarters. Would love your thoughts on playing five sets at slams, if that would be good for the women's game?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: I'm good. I don't want to play five sets (smiling). I'm good with three.

Q. A lot of people have asked about your physical state coming into this tournament. When you step out on court, are you feeling 100% free to play, not worry about your body, or is it always in the back of your mind? Must be hard after a year or so of struggles.

BIANCA ANDREESCU: Yeah, for sure. I guess there is some doubt always in the back of my head. But I'm trying my best to get rid of that. It's not easy. It's a process. But I'm working a lot on that.

Just feeling good out there. I think that's the main thing that's going to help me get rid of that. But I am a professional athlete that's wearing and tearing her body. It's normal to have pains here and there. It's not like I'm the only one that's retiring from tournaments and stuff like that. There's so many players that do the same.

But, no, I'm feeling confident going into the tournament and trying always my hardest to prevent a lot.

Q. I would like to ask you about Leylah Fernandez. She won her first title in Monterrey last week. You are a tennis reference for her. What is your opinion about her?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: I've had the chance to play Fed Cup with her. I've practiced with her many, many times. She's a really nice girl, very hard working. I think she has a lot of potential in this sport to do very, very well for many years.

I actually congratulated her. I texted her after the tournament. I'm super happy for her. I hope she continues to do well.

Q. You mentioned a short while ago that this is technically just your second year on tour, which it is. Yet you're also a Grand Slam champion and have been in top 10 and are considered, like, one of the biggest talents on tour. For you, how do you reconcile those two parts of knowing you haven't played in a long time, haven't really played too much on tour, but also have this level of respect and results under your belt?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: Yeah, it's very weird. My success came very quickly. Very, very quickly. It was for sure overwhelming at first. But I think I dealt with it very, very well. I actually enjoyed it.

Then having a year off was very surprising and very abrupt after having a very successful year. That was weird. But I tried to deal with it in the best way that I could.

Then coming into Australia, I had a very good pre-season. I was feeling pretty good out there. It's different than playing matches, obviously. I was a bit rusty. I don't feel like I was where I wanted to be at the time.

It's a process. I've been saying that. My team has been saying that. I'm trying to be as patient as I can to get back up there to feel very good on court. That's just going to take more matches to play.

This is going to be my third tournament of the year after such a long period off. Still having that ranking gives me confidence, for sure. Hopefully I can, yeah, just continue to do well and bring back that momentum from 2019 into 2021.

Q. Is it difficult not setting high expectations for yourself?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: I'm that type of person to always set high expectations for myself, setting high goals, all of that. But now my main goal is to just be happy out there, just enjoy myself as much as I can. Even if my tennis feels off, I just want to take it as something I can push through and feel fulfilled at the end, like after the match. That's mainly my goal right now.

Q. Vasek Pospisil is a promotor of the new PTPA, the association that is trying to come in with men and women working together. Have you spoken with him? What do you think about that possibility? How do you think it is feasible that it will happen?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: I don't know much about that, honestly. But I think it would be great for the men and women to combine as one so that we don't have something that separates both of us.

Q. When we approach a Grand Slam, are you planning to play mixed doubles with probably Vasek or some other Canadian player?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: At one point I'd love to do that. Right now I want to focus on my singles game and getting back into play. But at one point I'd love to do that.

Q. I wanted to ask you about the Tokyo Olympics, what your level of interest is in the Olympics this year. Their circumstances are a bit unusual with the pandemic and all that. Are you planning to play? What sort of hopes do you have or thoughts do you have about competing for Canada at the Olympics?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: I've dreamt at playing the Olympics ever since I was a little girl. It's definitely on my list. I'd love to play this year.

Obviously with the pandemic, I don't know what's going to happen. I hope that the vaccine can do something to help out with that because there will definitely be a high risk from a lot of people traveling from different countries, airports, this and that.

I really don't know, but I'd love to play. Obviously I want to win it, too. Playing for Canadian means a lot for me. And, yeah, I hope it will work out.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you, everyone.