"I don't feel like my body is 23 years old" - Bianca Andreescu looks back at "unlucky" run of injuries amid imminent comeback
Bianca Andreescu is all set to come back to the WTA Tour after being out of action for nine months due to injury. The Canadian is eyeing a return to the professional circuit ahead of the 2024 French Open.
Andreescu last played on the WTA Tour at the Canadian Open in August 2023. After her first-round exit, she endured a back injury that forced her to be on the sidelines. The former US Open champion is set to return to the tour in a few weeks and hopes to play in the upcoming Roland Garros.
In a recent interview with Match Point Canada, Andreescu discussed her plans for the comeback and her horrid run of injuries since 2021. After her groundbreaking year in 2019, which saw her win the US Open, the Canadian has endured injuries to her leg, ankle, abdomen, and back, that have kept her out of tour action for multiple periods.
During her interview, Bianca Andreescu said that she does not feel like her body is of a 23-year-old's due to all the injuries she's suffered. The former World No. 4 added that dealing with physical injuries along with mental health issues has made her recovery tougher, but she has tried her best to learn from these "challenges."
"I totally don't feel like my body is 23 years old because of all the injuries, I've been very unlucky. The universe likes to test us in different ways. The hardest test of my life is dealing with physical injuries, in addition to the mental health problems, which in a way go hand in hand. I don't regret any of them, I have learned a lot about myself through the challenges I have had to face more than through the victories and happy times," Andreescu stated.
Bianca Andreescu to play at Rabat Grand Prix 2024 in Morocco
Bianca Andreescu will mark her comeback to the tour at the 2024 Rabat Grand Prix, which begins on May 19, after her recent injury layoff. The WTA 250 event will be held just a week before the Roland Garros and Andreescu has been granted a slot in the main draw via protected ranking.
World No. 37 Yue Yuan is the top seed in Rabat this year. Defending champion Lucia Bronzetti and top 50 players Anna Blinkova and Sara Sorribes Tormo will also play at the tournament. Bianca Andreescu has begun practicing for the event in Morocco and recently posted a video of her back on the practice courts in Monaco.
Andreescu, currently ranked World No. 225, faces the risk of descending even lower in the WTA Rankings if she fails to defend the third-round points she earned at the 2023 Roland Garros. The Canadian defeated Victoria Azarenka and Emma Navarro before losing to Lesia Tsurenko in Paris last year.