Bianca Andreescu reveals reasons for on-court outburst about poor kit during US Open 1R win
Bianca Andreescu had a moment of controversy during her first-round clash at the 2022 US Open, one that did not thankfully affect the outcome. Midway through the first set against her encounter with wildcard Harmony Tan, a set the Canadian went on to win 6-0, she had some issues with the Nike kit that she was wearing.
Andreescu took up the matter with the chair umpire, loudly complaining that the dress was "so bad." The former US Open champion added that it was the kit's fault for making her miss a couple of forehands early on and opted for a dress change soon after, using the second Nike kit that is available to players.
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Speaking at her press conference after the eventual 6-0, 3-6, 6-1 win, the 22-year-old revealed that she was particularly upset by the dress coming up repeatedly in windy New York conditions. Thanking the umpire for seeing the sense in her ranting, the World No. 48 was grateful that he did not take away one of her two washroom breaks when she chose to change her clothes.
"Yeah, it was just bothering me on some forehands. I just felt like it was kind of coming up a bit. Obviously the wind didn't help. But, I mean, I meant no disrespect with what I said to the umpire," Andreescu said. "I was trying to convince him to not take away that washroom break, because I know we only get two. He was very nice to say it was totally okay."
"I love @Nike and I hope I can be with them for the rest of my life."
@Bandreescu_ apologizes after causing a stir over the dress she wore to begin her #usopen first round:
tennis.com/baseline/artic…
The former World No. 4 further apologized to the designers at Nike, noting that she could have opted for a better choice of words when she complained to the umpire and reiterated that she meant them no disrespect whatsoever.
"I could have definitely used a different choice of wording. So I apologize to anyone I disrespected," Bianca Andreescu said. "I love Nike and I hope I can be with them for the rest of my life. But, yeah."
When asked if this particular dress made her reconsider her partnership with Nike, Bianca Andreescu was quick to answer in the negative, declaring that she would be happy to spend the rest of her career as a Nike-sponsored athlete.
"I have no choice. I'd rather be with Nike for the rest of my life," Andreescu said. "And, yeah, I definitely apologize with what I said."
"I'm also playing really well, so I think it's going to be a great matchup" - Bianca Andreescu on her 2R clash with Beatriz Haddad Maia
Following her victory over Harmony Tan, Bianca Andreescu will lock horns with 15th seed Beatriz Haddad Maia in the second round of the 2022 US Open.
The Canadian was, therefore, glad to have gotten her confidence back with an up-and-down opener, adding that she will learn from the mistakes she made against the Frenchwoman.
"It's the first round, so I think it's good that it happened now because I can learn from it, like, if it does show up again, like in my next couple of rounds," Bianca Andreescu said. "I feel that it was good in a way, but it's great that I also had that first and third set where I was playing really, really well to kind of maybe not focus too much on the second set. But I think it was meant to be."
With Haddad Maia in the form of her life at the moment, having reached the final of the Canadian Open most recently, the former US Open winner is looking forward to a great match-up on Wednesday.
"I watched her play the final at the Rogers Cup. She's playing really, really well. I know I played her but it was back in 2016, I think it was. It wasn't an easy match, and I'm sure Wednesday definitely won't be an easy match, as well. She's playing really well," Bianca Andreescu said. "But I'm also playing really well, so I think it's going to be a great matchup."