MIAMI OPEN PRESENTED BY ITAú

April 2, 2021

Bianca Andreescu

Press Conference

B. ANDREESCU/M. Sakkari

7-6, 3-6, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Another great win for you tonight. These have all been like a lot of marathon kind of crazy matches. Seems like your default setting is just to somehow find a way to win it. How did you do it tonight?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: Yeah. I'm definitely showing myself and showing everyone that I'm, like, literally only going to be able to play three sets from now on. I don't know what to say (smiling).

I think my percentage this year is like 85, 90% three-setters, but that's not the goal. Like I want to do my best right from the start, first, second set, and be able to win like that. But sometimes it's not going to be your best tennis. Today I don't feel like I played my best tennis, but I found a way somehow. I'm super proud of myself with how I dealt with everything. I mean, it was very up and down but I did it.

Q. Do you know how you're going to recover from this? It's almost 3:00 in the morning there now. You've got to come back for the final on Saturday, or tomorrow your time. Going into that, how are you feeling with such a short turnaround or tight turnaround?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: Well, it's nice that I have the day off today, already today, and the last couple of days I have been going to bed pretty late. Like, I have been playing night matches, so I'm kind of already in that mindset already.

But I feel okay. Like, physically I feel totally okay. Today it was a very long match, but the points weren't as long as, let's say, when I played Sara the day before. But, yeah, like I'm going to be getting the best treatment I can and I'll be ready for Saturday.

Q. And going into that match with Ash Barty, a first-time meeting, and I know both of you want to play one another, just look ahead to facing her as being the defending champion and World No. 1.

BIANCA ANDREESCU: Yeah, it's going to be great. Yeah, like you said, definitely have wanted to play her. I have my chance on Saturday. I know it's going to be really tough. She's playing great tennis, and I hope I can be on my A game.

Q. What was your decision to try and work with Abdul?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: What was my decision?

Q. Working with Abdul as your trainer.

BIANCA ANDREESCU: Well, I was looking for a trainer, and Abdul said that he was available after Australian Open. So we both took that leap together, and I am super grateful for that, because on top of being an incredible fitness trainer, he's an incredible person.

I'm really looking forward to the work that we will be able to accomplish together over the next couple of months. Hopefully we'll have years to come with each other.

Q. We haven't seen that big a sample size of you in your career in these big tournaments and big matches, but of that sample we have seen, you were winning pretty much all these big matches at these big tournaments. Do you internalize that at all? Do you have such a good strike rate in these tough matches at these big tournaments that you believe you're going to find a way? Do you sense that in yourself at this point?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: Yeah, I have a lot of experience in these tough three-setters and digging through and finding a way. Sometimes I literally feel like I'm an octopus out there running side to side, I feel like I have eight legs. It's insane. Sometimes I don't even know how I get to some shots. But it's that fighting spirit I have always had in me, never giving up.

Like I said, through experience you learn to find ways to deal with circumstances like this. It's really showing. Like me playing with my back against the wall really brings out my best tennis.

Q. Speaking of animals, how conscious are you of Coco's reactions and mindset during a match? Seemed like getting a little tired at the end of this one tonight. Late night for Coco?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: Yeah, she's really adorable. My parents are putting her up and making her dance to the music, which is super cute. It's nice to have that during these tense moments, because they'll like throw a little smirk in there and things will be better. It's really nice to have that.

Q. What does it mean for you to win Miami Open?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: It would mean a lot to me. It's a Premier event, and every tournament I go into I want to win it. This is a really big tournament. I'm feeling pretty confident, so it will mean a lot to me. I have been working really hard for this.

Q. I don't know whether you know this, but your 33 of 34 matches in North America you have only lost one, and at 1000 level you have only lost two. Is there something about North America in particular? Close to home? Is that the reason why you play better here? Or is it more about the hard court because you're more comfortable playing on hard court and generally North American tournaments have hard court surface. What do you think makes you play so well here?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: I think it's a mixture of everything. I haven't really thought about what it is, but I'm sure it's like me playing on hard and then also having my friends and family here. It's easier for them to travel because they live in Canada, and having that energy too really helps me. So I think it's a combination of all.

Q. What do you think was the key turning point in the match for you today?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: It was so up and down. I have no idea, honestly. I think 4-3, that's when I broke her, I think, right? That was pretty key because if she won that game she would have been 5-3, she would have had more confidence. But I think I broke that by breaking her.

Then I was on serve. But then she won the next two games. It was super up and down, like I can't really say, but I think that was the key moment. And then just being on top of it right from the start in the tiebreaker.

Q. You mentioned that you have been wanting to play Ash and look forward to do doing it. Why? What is it about her? Because she's No. 1? The way she plays? What is it that makes you excited about that matchup?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: It's everything. Her being No. 1 and her doing really, really well. Her game style, as well. It's something I have never really experienced, you know. I love a challenge, and I know she's going to challenge me on Saturday, so it's a mixture of everything.

Q. You and Naomi and Ash were kind of the standout players of the 2019 season and then, for a variety of reasons, nobody played last year too much, but obviously now the three of you are back in the mix together once again in 2021. Is there something there, do you think, amongst the three of you in terms of kind of not breaking away but seemingly reestablishing yourselves in 2021?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: Yeah. Ashleigh, she didn't play in 2020, right? Just Naomi?

Q. January, like in Australia.

BIANCA ANDREESCU: Yeah, yeah. Well, I think it's great. It's kind of like -- I guess we're not really new faces anymore but we are still very young, and I'm sure that we're going to have many, many years ahead of us.

It's nice because we all have different game styles, too. I know a lot of people like to see that, having a different mix of everything. So to me, being a part of that feels really good.

Now being in the finals and playing against her is going to be even cooler.