MIAMI OPEN PRESENTED BY ITAú

March 24, 2023

Bianca Andreescu

Press Conference

B. ANDREESCU/M. Sakkari

5-7, 6-3, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Bianca, great match today. A tough battle. Just talk us through your thoughts on the match and how you're feeling.

BIANCA ANDREESCU: I think the match was really good from both of our parts. Maria played amazing. She was playing very aggressive.

I felt like I was on my heels a lot of the time during the match, but I made every ball. I fought to the end, and I think I played the important points just a little bit better today. But, yeah, it could have gone either way today.

Q. You've had back-to-back wins over a couple of pretty high-profile opponents. How important or significant are these results for you considering where you are as you continue to make strides to come back?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: I think it's just another step in gaining most of my confidence back. I'm feeling really good on the court. I'm trying to be as fearless as I can be.

It's not always easy, but I feel like I'm getting there, and wins like this obviously help with that because at this point I think it's just me getting matches in and playing tough rounds like this and knowing I can win.

Q. I want to ask you about your return game. Overall you returned her second serve pretty well. Do you have a mentality or did you have a mentality around that attack the second serve or make balls? What was your mentality?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: It's really depending on how I'm feeling. I like to change it up either taking it early, stepping back and just kind of putting the ball back in play.

So it really depends on me. I try to follow my intuition on that, but there's no, like, specific game plan for the return, yeah.

Q. I think you've won four of the five three-setters that you have played this year so far, so a good clip there. I know last year a lot of those matches were kind of going against you a little bit. Some tough three-set losses. What do you think has been the difference there of being able to kind of flip the switch on that this season?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: I think it's going for my shots a little bit more in the important points and not letting my nerves get the best of me because even today I felt like I could have attacked maybe a little bit more even on the important points.

But it's literally, like, I've been playing matches that are super close, and everybody on tour is so good. So, yeah, I could be playing maybe 70% of my capacity, but, you know, there's people that are still beating me and sometimes...

It's super all over the place, but I think now on the WTA Tour it's kind of, like, yeah, just certain points can really turn the match around.

Q. I'm pretty sure you've never lost a completed match on that court. Just the retirement. It's a very unique court because it's a stadium within a stadium. What is it about it that maybe brings out some of your better tennis?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: Well, I like big stages. I guess that's what it is, honestly. Just being on the big stage. I like it. I thrive on it. Well, I try to.

Q. Nothing specific about the conditions, because they can be...

BIANCA ANDREESCU: I kind of like that it's closed because the wind isn't really in the way, and I like that there's no sun. Towards, well, around 1 o'clock the sun kind of just goes away. Yeah, that's kind of it.

Q. Just looking ahead, you'll play -- I think Kenin is leading Kalinina. Kenin won, so you'll be playing Sofia Kenin. Can you talk about the challenge of that one and just, obviously, two major champions trying to find that slam-winning form again. How dangerous are each of you as opponents right now, do you think?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: I think she's playing great tennis. I've watched a few of her matches this year. I know that she might not be doing as well as she's hoping, but same with me, like you said.

So I think it's going to be an interesting matchup. She's had amazing results, and I've played her a few times. So, yeah, hopefully I can do well.

Q. Just following on from the point you made, where would you say you are at the moment with the mental side of your game, the physical side? How much more room is there for improvement?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: For me I feel like there's always room for improvement even if I'm feeling like I'm at 100%, but I know I'm never at 100% because there's so much that I know I can learn, getting to know my body as well through the years, and just kind of keeping momentum.

I think it's super important, and I feel like I'm starting to get that now a little bit. So with all of that, I feel like I'm at, I would say, 75%, 80% of what I know I'm capable of.

Q. You were talking a little bit about chakras before the tournament. I'm curious where those were at coming into this week and if you know how to best maintain that to continue the success?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: Yeah, I definitely pay a lot of attention to that stuff. I'm feeling really good. Even at Indian Wells I've been feeling really, really good. Good positive vibes all around.

And it also helps that the people around me kind of keep a positive outlook on everything. I do a lot of meditations on, you know, like, balancing all that stuff. Super easy. Just search balance your chakras on YouTube. That's what I do.

And, yeah, I just feel like if I continuously give 100% with what I have that day in any way, shape, or form on the court, off the court, with people, with my team, with anyone, I know that my chakras are balanced. Yes, zen.