MIAMI OPEN PRESENTED BY ITAú

March 22, 2023

Bianca Andreescu

Press Conference

B. ANDREESCU/E. Raducanu

6-3, 3-6, 6-2

(Audio joined with interview in progress.)

Q. Are you as mentally strong as you ever were?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: So, like I said before, I just kept telling myself it's not over till it's over. Sometimes I tend to get maybe too ahead of myself, whatever you want to call it. So I just try to stay in the present moment and try not to drain my energy because that game was insane.

I don't think I've ever played a game like that in my life. I think somebody told me it was like 22 minutes or something like that. I mean, she played really, really well.

But, yeah, I just had to stick with it. I stuck with the right tactics, as well, so that obviously helped.

Q. Tactically, facing Emma, what do you make of her game at this stage in her career? Also, what did you find tactically that was working for you against her?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: I think she's playing great tennis. Honestly, it's super nice to see that because she hasn't been playing that much. Injuries, this and that. I can relate in a way. I mean, not at that scale, but...

Yeah, I'm really happy that she's back at it and playing like this. If she continues playing like this, she can definitely get back into the top 10.

What I did well was just sticking with it. I'm just going to use that word today because it could have went either way. I just held in the points, tried to be aggressive when I could. Yeah, I think my serve went well today. I hit seven aces, which is very rare for me, no double-faults, so I'm very pleased.

Q. You've done well in Miami. Final in '21. You retired. I'm not sure what happened in that. You defeated your next opponent Maria Sakkari, you defeated her in a close match. Talk about her, what's next, also Miami.

BIANCA ANDREESCU: Yeah, Miami has a special place in my heart. I've been coming here since I was I think 12 years old, whether it's for vacation or training or, yeah, Orange Bowl. I love that tournament very much. Yeah, coming back here, I think it's just good vibes overall.

Playing Maria in the next round I think is going to be very difficult. She's been playing really well. We've had two very tough matches, so hopefully we can put on a show for you guys.

Q. What happened when you retired against Barty, what was the deal?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: I was dealing with a stress fracture in my right foot. I twisted it and it aggravated it and I didn't want to push it.

Q. You won two Orange Bowls in a row. Where were they?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: It was in Key Biscayne. Under-14 and under-16. No, under-16 and under-18. No, under-16 was somewhere else. Oh, gosh.

Q. (No microphone.)

BIANCA ANDREESCU: That's where it is. There it is, yes. I played those two.

Q. (No microphone.)

BIANCA ANDREESCU: I won 16s and 18s back to back (laughter). I love that. I absolutely love that tournament. I love Miami, so...

Q. Obviously looking from the outside, with Emma, you have so much in common throughout your careers. Do you know her well? Have you talked about what it's been like to win the US Open so early in a career and deal with all that?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: No. But I would honestly really, really like to speak to her because of that, because of our similarities. I mean, she's also Romanian. She was born in Toronto, which is super, super crazy.

Definitely I would love to speak to her, for sure. Maybe we can help each other out.

Q. What do you make of that kind of reality TV documentary, Break Point, do you feel like you would like being followed by cameras?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: For sure, would love to be on the show. I love reality TV. That's literally all I watch, unless 'You' is on, that TV show. I love the show 'Schitt's Creek', as well. I think it's a Canadian show, too.

I would love to be on the show. I think it's a great showcase of what it is to be a tennis player.

Q. Your favorite reality TV programs?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: Hmm... I love 'Love is Blind'. 'Perfect Match'. I love 'Island'. Anything with 'love' (laughter). They're so entertaining.

Q. Obviously mental part of the game is very important to you. Do you meditate still? Do visualization? How does that fit into your daily life?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: Yeah, it's a part of my daily, daily routine. I don't think I've missed one in, like, three or four years. Like, I've been very, very diligent with it, which isn't always easy.

It's changed my life completely, and I encourage everybody to try it out. Everybody. If you haven't, please try.

Q. The No. 1 player, Swiatek, I read a quote that she said you changed the rhythm in your game a lot, it's difficult for other players. Can you talk about that, how you would describe your style of play?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: Yeah, I love to change the rhythm when I can. I feel like I've been like that ever since I started playing tennis. It was because I would get board on the court so I would just try different things, try to make it entertaining.

I just, like, continued like that throughout my professional career. It really, really helped. Sometimes it can put me in a pickle because I feel like I have so many shots to hit at one time that I kind of get distracted in a way or maybe hit the wrong shot.

But I think it's been very effective, and I will continue playing like this forever (laughter).

Q. Somebody on commentary said you and Emma were born in the same hospital. Do you know if that's true?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: That's weird. That is weird. No, no one's ever said that. I was born in Mississauga, hospital in Mississauga. That's crazy if that's the case. That hospital was two US Open champs. That's pretty big (laughter).

Q. With the way that you've been playing, the results on paper don't look impressive for people on the outside, but watching your game develop, particularly as the season has progressed, do you feel as though you're on the verge of something big?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: I feel like my momentum throughout my matches has been pretty consistent. Yeah, I'm not winning all the time, but I also feel like -- just I'm feeling good.

I don't want to put any pressure on myself. Whenever it comes, it comes. But I would like to win very, very soon, if possible, another Grand Slam, another 1000 event. Hopefully it's here.

But, yeah, no pressure (laughter).