MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Bianca Andreescu traced the trail that introduced her again to the tennis tour after a psychological well being break — and Monday put her again within the profitable books because of a win over a seeded opponent on the Australian Open. What she calls an “aha second” on a seashore in Costa Rica throughout a non secular retreat almost a yr in the past.
Right here, then, is how the 22-year-old Canadian described his epiphany in an interview with The Related Press at Melbourne Park: “I am meant to play this sport and use it as a platform to be an inspiration to others.”
Andreescu, who beat Serena Williams within the 2019 US Open closing as an adolescent, has gone via a sequence of well being points, together with contracting COVID-19, which blighted her profession in 2020 and slowed her life in 2021 as nicely. She additionally broke up along with her longtime coach. In all, there was quite a bit occurring — after she beat No. 25 seed Marie Bouzkova 6-2, 6-4 on Court docket 3 on Monday, Andreescu used the phrase “frantic” to explain that interval — and she or he went six months with out taking part in a match from October 2021 to April 2022, together with not taking part in final yr’s Australian Open.
“That was once I began asking myself the query: Is that this all price it? Is that this life price it? As a result of I used to be so wired by so many issues: the folks in my life; the best way I used to be myself within the mirror,” Andreescu mentioned. Simply holding a tennis racket, I did not really feel glad anymore. or content material. As a result of normally, going to the stadium is my escape – and I’ve by no means had that feeling.”
She knew she wanted to reassess the place she was and the place she was going.
“Do I maintain pushing and urgent and hoping for one of the best? Or do I take a step again? That is what I did. I took a break. And I did different issues outdoors of tennis. I’ve finished a variety of charity. I’ve traveled just a few locations. Hanging out with mates I have not frolicked with in two years.” Or three. I began taking part in soccer once more. I did some snowboarding. I began martial arts. I danced. A bunch of different issues. It actually made me respect tennis extra,” Andreescu mentioned with a smile. “I actually did not know once I’ll choose up a racket once more.”
Throughout her time in Costa Rica this previous February, Andreescu discovered a brand new mind-set.
“I felt quite a bit higher in 2022 than I did in 2021, once I acquired actually annoyed after the losses,” she mentioned. “Now I simply wish to get again on the court docket. I really feel so motivated.”
And it definitely seemed that means in opposition to Bouzkova, who reached the quarter-finals of the US Open final yr.
Andreescu combined her pictures and outplayed her opponent when selecting large cuts on her groundstrokes.
“It simply did not give me a lot room to breathe and maintain my momentum going,” Bouzkova mentioned.
Andreescu mentioned she felt a combination of stress and aid on the finish of Monday, as a result of she actually needed to win.
Which she did and she’s going to now face one hundredth seed Cristina Buxa from Spain because the journey continues.
“I wish to say what my mother at all times tells me: ‘Observe your coronary heart.’ That is what I did. I’ve a robust hunch, I say, and I really feel like lots of people do. Belief your intuition,” Andreescu mentioned, pointing her fingers intertwined towards her coronary heart. You be ok with one thing for some time — I have not been happy for 2 or three months — I would inform you to take a step again, in the event you can.”
Huge transfer for China guys
Teenage qualifier Shang Juncheng grew to become the primary Chinese language man to win a main-tie match on the Australian Open within the skilled period, defeating Germany’s Oscar Otte 6-2, 6-4, 6-7(2), 7-5.
“I believe it is big for Chinese language males’s tennis,” mentioned the 17-year-old Shang, who has 34 winners. “We had actually good gamers on the ladies’s aspect, however we do not have actually large names on the boys’s workforce.”
“Hopefully we are able to do one thing large sooner or later,” Zhang added.
Shang, the junior runner-up on the 2021 US Open, is the primary 17-year-old to win his first Grand Slam match since present prime seed Carlos Alcaraz did it on the Australian Open two years in the past.
“It is a very large achievement,” Zhang mentioned. “ Carlos, he is one of the best participant on the earth proper now. Simply watching him play on the sector actually conjures up me, and it conjures up younger gamers.”
China positioned three males in the primary draw of a Grand Slam occasion for the primary time.
Wu Yiping misplaced his first-round match to France’s Corentin Moutet on Monday. Zhang Zhizhen performs American Brian Shelton on Tuesday.
View payments
Jessica Pegula ready for her first spherical win on the Australian Open by watching on TV because the Buffalo Payments defeated the Miami Dolphins 34-31 of their opening recreation of the NFL Playoffs.
The No. 3 seed Pegula, whose dad and mom personal the Payments and Sabers within the NHL, mentioned she acquired up at 7 a.m. Monday in Melbourne — which was 3 p.m. Sunday in New York — and watched a lot of the second half earlier than she was defeated. Jacqueline Christian 6-0, 6-1 at Margaret Court docket Area.
“It was a tricky recreation. Undoubtedly an unpleasant win, I believe,” Pegula mentioned of the Payments.
She added, “It is like the primary match, the qualifiers, all people’s sort of nervous, a variety of pressure,” likening it to the turmoil earlier than the primary match at a Grand Slam event.
Pegula mentioned, “It might have been enjoyable for them to have that win earlier than I went on the court docket. It would not have actually affected me, I do not suppose so, however I might have been upset that they misplaced.”
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Related Press freelance journalist Simon Cambers contributed to this report.
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Observe Howard Fendrich on Twitter at https://twitter.com/HowardFendrich
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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis And https://twitter.com/AP_Sports