Bianca Andreescu stated she is returning to Toronto’s Sobeys Stadium with confidence as she gets set to continue her comeback at the upcoming National Bank Open.
“I definitely feel more confident, than for instance, if I came back last year, in Toronto especially. Because it is different playing in Montreal and Toronto,” Andreescu said Thursday at a Tennis Canada media conference to announce the player list for the WTA 1000 tournament. “Toronto, I feel like, it’s just the memories that I have here.”
It’s been a long road for the Mississauga, Ont., native since she was last one of the dominant players on the tennis scene, but Andreescu feels she will be in a position to perform at her best when the tournament takes place Aug. 5-14.
“I literally grew up on these courts so maybe I put more pressure on myself because I really want to do well here in Toronto,” she said. “But I do feel good physically, mentally, and my whole approach to everything is just better. I do feel like I can do really well in this tournament.”
The 22-year-old won the event in 2019, during a breakout year where she jumped to as high as No. 4 in the world rankings, having also won the U.S. Open, among other tournaments.
Just months after, she took a 15-month layoff due to a left knee injury. After a bout with COVID-19 in 2021, Andreescu opted to take a “mental break” from tennis late last year.
“Last year was super, super hard for me but I learned a lot about myself,” said Andreescu. “I do feel better in my own skin and it definitely wouldn’t have happened if I didn’t go through what I went through the last couple of years.
“Even with injuries, it was super hard being away from the sport but it was definitely worth it because of how I’m feeling now.”
