"I don't feel it is talked about enough" - Bianca Andreescu on mental health issues
Bianca Andreescu recently claimed that, just like Naomi Osaka and Simone Biles, she has experienced mental health issues too. Andreescu also believes it is a good thing that there have been more conversations about the sensitive topic in recent times.
Naomi Osaka recently pulled out of a host of events, including Wimbledon, in a bid to safeguard her mental health. She also refused to attend any press conferences at Roland Garros, while revealing that she has been suffering from depression since 2018.
Simone Biles, meanwhile, pulled out of multiple events at the Olympics 2021 as she struggled to find the right mental balance to compete. But the American did end up participating in the balance beam team event, where she won bronze.
When asked about the troubles faced by Osaka and Biles by Adam Laskaris of The Daily Hive, Bianca Andreescu claimed she is delighted that more and more people - especially professional athletes - are "opening up" about their mental health issues.
"I definitely love that people are opening up about this, because I don’t feel like it's talked about enough," Bianca Andreescu said. "I've experienced it too… being a professional athlete isn’t easy."
Bianca Andreescu then pointed out that mental health is an important aspect of life for everyone. The World No. 5 expressed satisfaction with the fact that more people are now giving importance to mental health issues.
"I think the mental health part of everything is probably the most important. And not only for me, but everybody," Andreescu said. "We all go through things… And knowing that there’s a community that feels the same, in their own way talking about it, it really helps and brings us together. If more people can speak about it, maybe things can change for the better."
The Canadian then highlighted some practices that have helped her get past her inner demons. Andreescu believes that knowing your "purpose" in life and finding enjoyable things to do helps in combating the issue.
"What’s helped me a lot over the years is finding out a lot about myself, like what my purpose in life is and what I love to do," Bianca Andreescu said. "And I found that out at a very young age, so I’m super grateful for that.”
“I’m feeling really good after a couple downs over the last couple of months" - Bianca Andreescu
Bianca Andreescu has endured a difficult time on tour since reaching the final of the Miami Open in March. She has played just eight matches over the last four months, losing five of them.
The Canadian had no notable results during either the clay or the grass swing, but she hopes to make amends during the upcoming North American hardcourt series. The former US Open champion stressed that she is feeling "really good" and is raring to go.
"I'm feeling really good after a couple downs over the last couple of months," Bianca Andreescu said. "I'm feeling much better now, and ready to go."
Andreescu will next be seen on court at the upcoming National Bank Open in Montreal, where she is the defending champion (from 2019). The event did not take place in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 21-year-old explained that she consider herself a defending champion because it puts a "bit of pressure" on her. Instead, Andreescu likes to see herself as a "champion" of the event who simply wants to win the title again.
"I don't want to really look at it as defending the title because that in itself puts a little bit of pressure on me," Bianca Andreescu said. "I kind of just look at it like I’m the champion… and I want to be the champion again."