Bianca Andreescu prepared on all fronts for grass season in search of 1st Wimbledon win
Of all of the excessive highs and low lows in Bianca Andreescu’s tennis profession, hardly any have come on grass.
Now, with each her bodily and psychological well being in tow, the Mississauga, Ont., native is ready for a month of enjoying on inexperienced courts, culminating with Wimbledon in late June.
Since 2019 — the breakout season through which she received Indian Wells, the Rogers Cup and the U.S. Open — Andreescu has performed simply 4 matches on grass, profitable one. The lone win got here towards American Christina McHale, then ranked 239th, on the 2021 Eastbourne Worldwide.
The 21-year-old has twice performed Wimbledon, in 2017 and 2021, however misplaced within the first spherical each instances. She’ll open the 2022 grass season on the Berlin Open this week.
However regardless of the relative inexperience, former coach Sylvain Bruneau says Andreescu should not have any bother adapting her recreation.
“She’s very pure, very proficient, which I believe helps on grass. You probably have that skillset and full recreation and simply that pure means to adapt, I believe she’s obtained that,” Bruneau instructed CBC Sports activities.
“My first message can be to her that I believe her recreation is suited to each floor.”
In December, Andreescu introduced she was stepping away from tennis to get well following a “difficult” two years, which included a number of bodily accidents, psychological struggles and a bout with COVID-19.
WATCH | Andreescu displays on break from sport:
She’s now ranked 71st amongst WTA gamers, down from her career-best fourth, having solely performed on clay since her return to the game in April. She’s received seven instances towards 4 losses since then, with every of the latter coming by the hands of gamers at present ranked among the many prime 20.
“Lots of days, I didn’t really feel like myself, particularly whereas I used to be coaching and/or enjoying matches. I felt like I used to be carrying the world on my shoulders,” Andreescu mentioned after her first match again in April.
Her newfound mindset was made clear following a loss to World No. 1 Iga Swiatek on the Italian Open.
“Truthfully, I am simply fired as much as get again on the market and play her once more,” Andreescu mentioned after her loss. “If I take a look at myself a 12 months in the past, there’s simply been a lot progress in the way in which I am dealing with being again on tour and my wins and my losses. I am simply tremendous motivated.”
WATCH | Andreescu victorious in 1st match of season:
Andreescu and Bruneau, who now works for Tennis Canada as a ladies’s coach, parted methods virtually precisely one 12 months in the past.
Bruneau mentioned the cut up was amicable. He needed to spend extra time along with his household in Montreal, so he proposed including a second coach to Andreescu’s staff. However Andreescu most popular to have a single, devoted coach.
They nonetheless work collectively by means of Tennis Canada and preserve fixed contact, per Bruneau.
“She’s like my third daughter. So I actually need the perfect for her. I care about her. And I believe it is the identical for her in case you ask her,” he mentioned.
Andreescu now works with Dutchman Sven Groeneveld, who beforehand coached Maria Sharapova.
Bruneau mentioned he is seen enchancment in Andreescu’s first serve beneath Groeneveld. He additionally famous that she’s been attending to the ball earlier — one thing that ought to serve her nicely on grass.
“I believe it is one thing that she will be able to should her recreation the place she will be able to are available in and intercept extra as a result of she has so many alternatives to take action,” he mentioned.
WATCH | Andreescu falls to Bencic in 2nd spherical at French Open:
Whereas the 7-4 file on clay was a stable step ahead, and grass season comes with loads of unknowns, Andreescu could start to really feel the stress once more when the tour returns to laborious courts, together with the Nationwide Financial institution Open (previously the Rogers Cup) in August and the U.S. Open quickly after.
Bruneau mentioned the important thing for Andreescu shall be getting matches beneath her belt.
“When she performs plenty of matches, her confidence goes up in her courtroom sense and her imaginative and prescient and her really feel on the courtroom,” he mentioned.
If that confidence can carry by means of 2022, the dominant model of Andreescu could also be again earlier than lengthy.
Fernandez aiming to return from damage in Canada
At Roland Garros, Andreescu dropped a second-round match to Olympic gold medallist Belinda Bencic, ending hopes of an all-Canadian battle with Leylah Fernandez within the ensuing contest.
Fernandez, the 19-year-old from Montreal, wound up going all the way in which to the quarter-finals, the place she misplaced to 59th-ranked Italian Martina Trevisan.
Quickly after, it was revealed Fernandez was coping with a foot damage. Bruneau, who additionally works with Fernandez by means of Tennis Canada and not too long ago frolicked together with her on the Billie Jean King Cup, mentioned she would miss all of grass season.
He mentioned the purpose is for Fernandez to be able to return for the Nationwide Financial institution Open in Toronto which begins Aug. 5.
He additionally revealed that the Canadian was coping with a “actually, actually dangerous chilly, one thing like a flu virus” throughout each the Italian and Madrid Opens. She failed to maneuver past the second spherical in both event.
If the whole lot goes as deliberate, Fernandez ought to have a stable quantity of runway forward of the U.S.
And the stage could possibly be set for extra Canadian magic at Flushing Meadows.
