Bianca Andreescu says she hopes to extend her US Open winning streak to 14 matches, admits she has a "love-hate" relationship with tennis
Bianca Andreescu dispatched lucky loser Greet Minnen 6-1, 6-2 in just over an hour on Saturday to reach the last 16 at the 2021 US Open. Andreescu is now on a 10-match winning streak at Flushing Meadows, having won the title in 2019 on her debut run.
Prolonged injury woes had prevented the Canadian from playing the New York Major last year. Nevertheless, she has now joined the illustrious duo of Evonne Goolagong Cawley and Monica Seles, who also won their first 10 matches at the US Open.
In her post-match presser, Bianca Andreescu admitted to feeling grateful for this accomplishment and to be named alongside those legends.
"I know that I was 10-0, but I didn't know only a certain amount of people did that," Andreescu said. "So for me, hearing it, I feel very grateful to have accomplished that and to be alongside all those amazing players. I hope that I can continue my streak and make it two in a row."
Andreescu also spoke at length about her third-round win. The 21-year-old acknowledged the quality of her performance, before listing the things about her game she is particularly pleased with.
"I think I played really well today," Andreescu said. "This is what I have been working towards in practice, and I'm very pleased with my return games, with my service games, with my movement on court, also with my attitude."
"It's incredible, especially like the last two matches they weren't easy, especially the first round," she added. "Getting it done in those, like, conditions, you know, and Arthur Ashe and being able to get it done in two almost, I'd say, probably one of my best matches."
Bianca Andreescu went on to talk about her next-round opponent, Maria Sakkari. She revealed she is excited to play against Sakkari, before recalling her hard-fought victory over the Greek in Miami earlier this year.
"I think it's going to be a great match. I'm super excited to play against her," Andreescu said. "We had a very, very tough match in Miami. I'm sure it's going to be the same. I want to go out there not really thinking too much and looking back at our previous match."
"I want to stay zoned in in the present moment, and whatever she brings my way, I'll be ready," the Canadian added. "She's very powerful. She serves very well. She moves well. She's a fighter. But I'm also all those things, so it's going to be good. I'm pumped."
"With anything you're passionate about, it's always a love-hate relationship; in my case, it's tennis" - Bianca Andreescu
Bianca Andreescu stormed on to the scene in 2019, a year which saw her break into the top 10 of the rankings and become the first Canadian to win a singles Grand Slam title. But injury problems crept up soon after, and led her to miss the entire 2020 season.
During her presser, the World No. 7 delved into how the sport has given her its share of ups and downs. She asserted that everything is "part of the game", and That she has built a love-hate relationship with tennis.
"I think with anything you're passionate about, it's always a love-hate relationship, because you want that thing so bad all the time, you want to be perfect. In my case, it's tennis," Andreescu said.
"A lot of the times it can be difficult when things don't go your way. I think that's part of the game, first of all," she added. "You have to go through things, experience things to find out what really works for you, like how to deal with those things. I think I'm still experiencing new things, and I'm just kind of like going along, because I didn't play all of 2020. You know, that was new."
Andreescu further declared that she does not hate anything about the US Open, before expressing hope she can extend her winning streak in New York to 14-0.
"No, I can't say I hate it here, or I hate anything about this tournament," she said. "So far I'm loving it. I hope that it can continue like this the whole way and I can be 14-0 at the US Open. That's my goal."