ROLAND GARROS

May 30, 2023

Bianca Andreescu

Press Conference

B. ANDREESCU/V. Azarenka

2-6, 6-3, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Bianca, great comeback tonight. Just talk us through your thoughts on the match and how it felt out there.

BIANCA ANDREESCU: At first I think I started off very, very well. Then she just started taking control right from the start, and I felt like I started to become a little bit passive.

I told myself if I even want to make this a close match, I have to change something. I told myself, go for it. I started serving better. I started returning better. Yeah, it definitely felt good.

My fighting spirit is back, so that feels nice.

Q. It feels like you're a lot further along on this surface and in your game than the last couple of tournaments reflect. Would you say that's the case?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: Yeah, definitely. The last few weeks haven't been easy for me, just like recovering from my injury and all that stuff. I'm still not 100%. I still get pain here and there. I just have to push through it and not thinking that it's bad pain. That's definitely helped.

Yeah, just putting in the hours on the court, especially during matches, is always good. I had a three-setter again, so I'll say this counts as two matches (laughing).

Q. How would you compare form this year to last year in terms of being on the clay and being at Roland Garros?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: Well, just based on this match I definitely feel better. Not even, like, result-wise. I mean, I didn't get past second round ever here.

So the goal now is definitely to get past the second round.

Q. Just picking up on what you said about your fighting spirit being back, where do you think it's been? How long has it been gone for? What's prompted it to come back?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: I mean, in Miami I felt like I was pretty good with that in that sense. I guess, yeah, just over the past few weeks I had a lot of bad days and a lot of negative thoughts crept in. I mean, this match definitely gives me confidence in that sense.

Yeah, I want to go back to how hungry I was in 2019 more than ever.

Q. How do you do that?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: I wish I knew. I would tell the whole world. I would help the whole fricking world. I don't know. Honestly, I'm trying to figure it out. There's good days; there's bad days.

I mean, that's the sport. You are never always going to play 100% unless you're Alcaraz right now and Iga. Jokes aside, I'm just trying to give my best every single day.

I know if I stay patient, results will come.

Q. I want to follow up on this. I'm curious if you are saying you're not as hungry as you were. What is the biggest driver right now? What is keeping you at least coming to these tournaments and playing?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: I'm going to be honest. This match I started thinking about my grandmother because she's getting old, and I'm very close to her. She said, Bianca -- in Romanian, she doesn't speak English. She's, like, Bianca, I really want to watch you win another major.

So I had that in the back of my head at one point when I was down 3-1. I was, okay, I started to get emotional too. At that point something, like, just came out of me, and I started playing better.

So I think just thinking about little things like that. Even reminding myself why I play the sport will definitely help.

Q. So my question is, yesterday I was talking to Frances Tiafoe about when it matters who's watching him play. If there's someone super famous who comes to watch him play, does that help him or not? He said he loves it. For you, do you remember the first time you played in front of someone that really mattered or something or someone that blew your mind? Is that something you step up for, or is it something that could make you nervous?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: No, honestly, I would really like that. If I can have someone famous in my box every time I think I would definitely play better honestly. You're trying to impress them because it's someone famous. They're good at their craft. You want to show them that you're good at your craft kind of thing.

I remember it was Eric Dane, he was in my box at Indian Wells in 2019. That was really cool.

Q. Eric Dane, as in McSteamy?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: Yes. Sorry. I could have said McSteamy, but I wanted to be, you know...

Q. (Off microphone.)

BIANCA ANDREESCU: I was, like, oh (laughing). McSteamy, where are you at? I need you back (laughing).

Q. When you play at your best or close to your best or, say, tonight, do you have an ability to compare your tennis to that of 2019 at your best? If it's not as good, why not? And if it's as good, do you think it's good enough four years later when it feels as though the level generally has risen?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: Very good question. Looking back at 2019, I always thought I'm just going to improve and improve. Like, I'm just going to get better.

Then, you know, a lot of stuff happened and kind of went the opposite way. I mean, I always look back at 2019, but I also want to stay in the present moment. It's always nice to have that reminder of I'm a Grand Slam champion because sometimes I forget.

Sometimes I feel pretty insecure about myself considering coming off a great 2019 and then not really doing anything per se and not living up to the expectations that I put on myself and, you know, everybody else around me. Not necessarily my team, but maybe fans or et cetera, et cetera.

So it's tough to really know what to think about, especially going into just any day. So I'm just trying to stay positive as much as I can. I know it's cliche, but it works for me. And continuing to be patient because I know I'm doing the right things. I've been saying that for the past year and a half.

So I'm hoping to get a win soon because time is ticking here. I'm 23 very soon. I say that like I'm very old, but honestly, you see fricking Coco Gauff and Fruhvirtova. I don't know if I'm saying that right. Like, you know, time is running out (laughing).

Q. It's the ankle you're worried about for pain, right?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: Yeah.

Q. What were you thinking about taking a medical time-out at the end of the first set, and there was a hesitation and you didn't take it?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: It was more for eye drops. Then once I got those eye drops, I started playing better, so...

Q. The last one is Emma Navarro, what do you know?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: Yes. I don't think I've ever watched her play, but, I mean, I think it's going to be a good match. I hope it's going to be a good match. I hope I can play well. I hope I can execute like I did today.

Yeah, I'm really looking forward to it. Second round. Hopefully I can get past that.

Q. I think you practiced with Ons before the tournament. I wanted to get your thoughts on Ons's dropshot in particular because we're writing something -- yeah, I know.

BIANCA ANDREESCU: I thought my dropshot was good, and then there's Ons.

Q. That's what I wanted to ask you. As someone who does know how to hit them, what makes hers special? I don't know how much of Alcaraz have you watched? If you could compare why his is really good and why Ons is really good.

BIANCA ANDREESCU: Yeah, good question. I think they do it at very good times, and they disguise it very well. I think those are the two keys to hitting great dropshots, and they also have that little side-spin too.

Honestly, I think Ons has the best dropshot, like out of male and female players. Ons is number one. She's very talented, and she's using her talent in a very good way.

She's having results and all of that, and she's teaching me how to hit a tweener. I have a video of me making one. I was going to post it on social media, but I was going to wait. I think now is a good time to.

Then, she's also traveling with a videographer so he has a better angle and all of that, so I was going to ask him to send me the video. She's a good teacher. I'll say that.

Q. Just back on the match, it was a brilliant contest and a great atmosphere. What was going through your mind when the match points were kind of one, two, three, four? Were you thinking about anything in particular?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: Why the F can't I close this out right now? Does God really want me to go through another 7-6'er? I don't think I have a good 7-6 record this year, so I was hoping not to go there.

But I was just trying to stay as calm as possible because I was really hyped up at that time because I was one point away from winning the match. So I really had to calm myself down because I felt like I was too excited on the three that I lost. Obviously, she played well.

But I was praying to put my first serve in the court, and it did work, so I think that was the key.