Bianca Andreescu Gets Real About What’s Holding Her Back From Winning Like Iga Swiatek – ‘Just Not How It Is’

Bianca Andreescu dreams big, but she’s extremely cautious!  After being sidelined for nine months with a stress fracture in her back, Andreescu was recently featured in her second tournament of the year. She hasn’t had much success after her historic triumph at the 2019 US Open. However, she managed to reach the finals of this year at ‘s-Hertogenbosch. All she now wants is to “win like Iga does”, but she doesn’t want to be too hard on her body at the moment!

Iga Swiatek turned pro in 2016, while Bianca Andreescu became a pro a year later. Now the Polish has twenty-two career titles in her bag including five Grand Slam triumphs. The Canadian is still stuck at three titles, including one major title at the 2019 US Open. However, with her incredible run at the 2024 Libema Open, she has now jumped up to 65 spots to become the number 163 in the world. All she now wants is to climb up the ladder gradually and bring herself to a position where she can make eye-to-eye contact with the world no.1.

During a conversation at the WTA Insider Podcast, Bianca Andreescu said, “You know, like, of course, I want to play my best tennis, but I don’t want to force myself to play my best tennis.” The former world number four went on to explain her approach in her latest match and added, “It’s just not attaching myself too much with that, because I have this thing where I really, really want to do well, I want to win like Iga does, you know? Sure. But sometimes that’s just not how it is. I know it’ll come at some point.“

On that note, during the 2023 French Open Swiatek also opened up about the “huge respect” she has for Andreescu. “I have huge respect for her, because she’s been through a lot, and for sure it wasn’t easy for her,” said the Polish WTA star.

Well, Andreescu’s rise from 228th in the world to 163rd is a testament to how she looks at her tennis at the moment. Surely, this will boost her confidence for the rest of the season. She has time and again spoken about the respect she has for Iga Swiatek and once also revealed that she wants to feel “invincible” like her.

“The competition definitely inspires me” – Bianca Andreescu wants to bring back her golden days with the help of Iga Swiatek

Although Iga Swiatek currently leads the H2H scoreline by 2-0 against the Canadian, Bianca Andreescu has often seen her as an inspirational figure in women’s tennis. She feels what Iga Swiatek has been doing over the last eight years has been truly “incredible“. However, she strongly believes those astonishing runs come only with the “momentum” of playing matches and “being healthy“. And that’s where she has struggled over the last few years.

Andreescu has been a strong advocate for the value of mental health in tennis, sharing her own experiences with it and urging others to get treatment from professionals when needed. During an interview in 2023, she spoke a bit about the healthy “competition” she has with Iga Swiatek. “The competition definitely inspires me and motivates me even more. Seeing Iga, she’s younger than me and has three Grand Slams. I’m trying to get up there, I’m trying to beat that. But in like a friendly way,” Bianca Andreescu. She believes the roles have now “reversed“!

Earlier she heard that players used to take inspiration from her incredible run in 2019. Now she draws inspiration from others like Iga Swiatek. She recently also highlighted how Swiatek “skyrocketed” into the women’s tennis. Can Bianca Andreescu make a strong comeback this year? Share what are your thoughts on this.