USA Today via Reuters
Aug 10, 2021; Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Bianca Andreescu of Canada reacts after winning her match against Harriet Dart of Great Britain (not pictured) during second round play at Stade IGA. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports.
USA Today via Reuters
Aug 10, 2021; Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Bianca Andreescu of Canada reacts after winning her match against Harriet Dart of Great Britain (not pictured) during second round play at Stade IGA. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports.
Canadian tennis star Bianca Andreescu rose to fame in 2019 when she shocked everyone with her terrific run at the US Open as a teenage star. While she has been out of the circuit for quite some time now, it seems that Bianca is planning to make a comeback soon.
Andreescu had a dream run at the 2019 US Open, where she defeated Serena Williams in the final in straight sets to become the youngest player to win the title on her first main-draw appearance. This record has since been broken by Emma Raducanu in 2021.
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Since then, Andreescu has had a drop in form and has also been through some ordeals with injury. But, if the entry list for the Italian Open is anything to go by, it seems that she will be making a comeback to the clay season this year. Turns out Andreescu will be using her protected ranking if she at all ends up playing.
Update: Andreescu has entered Rome with her PR.
Doesn't mean she's going to play any of these events – depends how everything goes.
But she is entered. https://t.co/K5owmIkcaB— Stephanie Myles (@OpenCourt) April 13, 2022
Also read: Naomi Osaka Goes Gaga Over Hollywood Star Rihanna’s Pregnancy Photoshoot
What is a protected ranking, and how will Bianca Andreescu use it?
Protected Ranking is a system used in professional tennis where a player’s ranking is frozen because of an injury break. This is to ensure that while the player is recovering from the injury, their ranking does not fall making it increasingly difficult to qualify for tournaments. However, there are a few rules for using this system.
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It is used by players coming back from an injury after a time period of at least six months and the assigned rank is based on the average ranking for the first three months of the injury.
via Getty
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 06: Bianca Andreescu of Canada reacts as she plays against Maria Sakkari of Greece during her Women’s Singles round of 16 match on Day Eight of the 2021 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 06, 2021 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
Bianca Andreescu last played in the 2021 US Open, where she lost in the fourth round after a grueling match against Maria Sakkari. As she failed to defend her points from her 2019 title, her rankings fell to 20th on the women’s singles list. She was the defending champion at the Indian Wells too, but lost in the third round to Anett Kontaveit.
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Experts are saying that if all goes well, Bianca Andreescu might also use a protected ranking to enter the French Open for an attempt at a second Grand Slam. Only time will tell what happens to the Canadian’s schedule.
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