INTERNAZIONALI BNL D'ITALIA

May 10, 2022

Bianca Andreescu

Press Conference

B. ANDREESCU/E. Raducanu

6-2, 2-1 (ret.)

THE MODERATOR: Obviously not the way you want to move on here, but congratulations on moving on to the round of 32 in Rome. What were your main takeaways from the match today?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: I came into the match with a very positive mindset. I knew it was not going to be an easy match. Whatever she was going through, I obviously hope her a speedy recovery, but I was just very happy with how consistent I was with my performance. Even with the medical timeout, I didn't let that distract me.

Obviously I didn't know she was going to retire. That like completely threw me off. Yeah, I do wish her a speedy recovery and hope I can keep the same energy in the next rounds.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Considering the level of Emma, do you think this match is maybe the best match of the last year?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: For me?

Q. Yes.

BIANCA ANDREESCU: It's definitely up there. Also my match with Danielle Collins in Madrid was very good. In my opinion, 'very good' for me is defined by consistency, effort, execution.

So I hope, yeah, I can continue to improve on that.

Q. There's not a ton of footage and tape and scouting on her. What was your game plan going in? Was there anything she was doing that you adjusted to throughout the match that you felt unlocked that scoreline?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: Hmm. Well, uhm, she's an aggressive player. She likes to take control right from the start. My game plan was to take control before she did.

I don't want to give every detail, but I also came into the match, like I said, with the mindset of it's going to be a tough match and I have to stay positive.

It is my first match here, so I really wanted to adjust properly to the environment, as well. I think I adjusted really quickly, so I was very happy with that.

I'm sure we're going to see plenty of me and her play again, so I'm very excited.

Q. What is your opinion of the Foro Italico, the people and the crowd? Have you had the chance to go shopping in Rome?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: Priorities (laughter)?

I was here last year in October and I did a lot of shopping. I know all the good spots. I'll definitely go again this year.

This is my first time at the tournament. It's a different atmosphere. The people here are crazy, but in the best way. They love their tennis. I love that kind of atmosphere. I also do see some Canadians, some Romanians here, which I love. I appreciate all the support.

I really love the courts as well. It suits my game style. I know I say that a lot, but I like it.

Q. Regarding Emma, I know you've had injury struggles throughout the early stages of your career. That's been well-chronicled. Emma is having a few of those in her first full year on tour. Knowing what you know now, what advice would you give to a young player like her that's still adjusting to the rigors of the tour?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: Yeah, for me, I think that you really have to experience it to really know what you need. But you're playing the best players, you really have to have the right nutrition, the right game plan, like physically, mentally, emotionally, everything.

It's not easy being on tour. From January to, yeah, October, end of October, that's a long time. You really have to schedule your training properly, your competition, all of that.

You also have to know that injuries are a part of the game. But the best thing you can do is try to prevent. I think that's kind of the advice I can give her.

Q. When you watched Emma win the US Open, you were really looking forward to playing her. Has it matched up to expectations? Feeling her ball on the court, was it what you thought when you watched it on TV?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: Yes and no. I don't know if that had to do with the injury. She did kind of want to take control from the start. That was kind of a given. That's her game style. She did fight as much as she could. I knew that was going to happen as well.

But, yeah, I would say yes. I was very excited to play her, for sure.

Q. Emma also said she could do with a voice in her when she wants to play tournaments and that puts pressure on herself. She needed someone to help her take a step back. In her position, who was that voice for you?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: Good question. I feel like now I know myself and my body more and more, so I'm able to make that decision for myself.

But I do have an amazing team, as well, that's very experienced and has been in the sport for a long time, so they also help me. I feel like I'm the type of player that always wants to go. Maybe just like her, I mean, she said it. I would love to play every week.

When they do see me like that, they also help me. They'll tell me to chill. I'll take maybe a day off, two days off. Even after the two days off, I play even better than maybe if I played those two days.

It's kind of like a back-and-forth thing.

Q. Stuttgart, starting the comeback, you had perspective on things, not focus on results... You had the great match against Sabalenka. Last week against Danielle. Playing well again today. What is your progress report two and a half tournaments in?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: I'm very happy with everything. Basically I feel like I'm very committed, I'm very determined on what I want to do and how I want to do things now.

Actually playing my match against Pegula, it was like super up and down, but that was a great reality check from the universe. I'm very pleased with how I regrouped from that. Last year I would have cried in my pillow for two days straight. Now I just feel more hungry and motivated to continue and to be better.

I mean, that's life. That's literally something you cannot change. There's going to be downs, no matter what. But it's, like, how you deal with it. I feel like I'm dealing with it pretty well. Obviously every tournament I go into, I want to win. But I still just want to focus on the progress to get there.

Q. Even if I've been covering 162 slams, I didn't have many times the opportunity to listen to you. I want to say that you're very nice.

BIANCA ANDREESCU: Thank you.

Q. You are open. It's very nice the approach that you have with the press. I'd like to know, what is usually your relationship with the press? Is it something that bothers you to come? You enjoy to come and explain what you are and what you're going through? Also do you think your background, which is also in a way European, helps you to understand the atmosphere, the mentality? Thanks for being here.

BIANCA ANDREESCU: Thank you for that wonderful compliment.

I don't have a problem with the media. It's part of the sport. Even over the years, I mean, last year was a little bit different because I was going through some things, so I didn't like the media too much.

But it's also, you know, another way to interact with you guys. I've seen so many of your faces before, so it's not like I want to have a bad relationship because I will see you guys for the next 10 years.

I like to treat everybody the same no matter what. Even if it's a maid at the hotel or a waiter at the restaurant, I always treat people the same. That's how my parents raised me.

I'm a very passionate person. I give 100% in everything. I also want to give you guys 100% because that's just who I am. I don't want to portray myself as someone different.

So, yeah, I hope that answers your question.

Q. You made a long break after Indian Wells last year. Can you explain us what you did during these months? When did you know it was a good time to come back on tour?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: It was a couple of months in the making. I'd been feeling a certain way, I would say, maybe two months, two months and a half before I actually made the decision. It was one of those difficult decisions.

I felt I did not enjoy the game as much as I did before. I didn't feel the same passion. Even in 2019, like, I would wake up and I wouldn't want to practice. There's always that thing in the back of my head that would tell me to push myself because this is what I want to do.

Last year was, like, super up and down. I didn't understand why I was getting upset at myself for feeling that way as well. Just this constant battle with myself. Obviously other little things.

I'm very grateful to have that privilege to say I can stop and take that break. I'm very grateful for my team as well because I literally told them, I said, I don't know how long it's going to be. I understand if you have other opportunities. I would love for you to stay in my corner. I can't give you a timeline kind of thing.

They stuck by my side. That means the world to me.

That break, I did a bunch of stuff. I did other things outside of the sport. I did martial arts. I did hip-hop. I did Yoga, meditation. These are things I always wanted to do so I was so happy I was able to do that. Spend time with my family. Just like go deep into my brain to figure out what's going on.

Just having that break, as well, made me appreciate the game even more and made me really realize that I'm very passionate and I want to continue to play.

Q. What gives you more satisfaction in general, is it playing lights-out and winning 6-1, 6-1, or not playing your best, going to battle, and win a three-hour epic?

BIANCA ANDREESCU: You guys are good with these questions, but I love it. You're challenging me because I haven't really thought about that.

There are definitely more emotions when I'm playing like a tougher match, maybe like 6-4 in the third. Those are things that are amazing to win, like those kinds of matches where maybe you're not playing your best or your opponent is really challenging you. So I love that.

But also playing matches against like Danielle Collins, those are super satisfying because that's how I strive to be. Tennis is such a random sport in the way that you don't know what you're going to get that day.

I mean, I don't know how to answer that question. Maybe winning 6-1, 6-1 takes it a bit over the other (smiling).