Bianca Andreescu admits having to play in the Wuhan qualifying tournament is "a blow to the ego" but adds she is doing her best to remain "patient" and work her way back to the top.
Since winning the US Open in 2019 and two WTA 1000 tournaments the same year, Andreescu hasn't won any titles on the main level. Over the last six years, the Canadian - who is now 25 years old - battled various injuries but also dealt with mental health issues. All of that caused the former world No. 4 to have a couple of breaks from tennis over the last couple of seasons.
Currently, Andreescu is ranked at No. 181 in the world and she didn't make the main draw directly for the WTA 1000 tournament in Wuhan. Instead, she signed up for the qualifying event, where she beat Tereza Valentova in her opening match before picking up a surprise 1-6 7-6 (6) 6-3 loss to Anastasia Zakharova.
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Andreescu: Playing qualifying is a blow to the ego but I have to put that aside
"It is certainly a blow to the ego, but I have to put that to one side. It was many years ago that I won the US Open and so much has happened since then. I still have big ambitions. I know what I can accomplish. So finding that balance of being patient and being that go-getter that I am to try and get back to the top is a bit tricky," the 2019 US Open champion told Tennis365.
"The problem is that I have been so on and off (with injuries) that I dont have much rhythm in my playing style. That is going to be a big thing to get back to the top. In tennis, its literally a point here, a point there, and if you can really sharpen those instincts during those times, I think itll make a great difference, but its definitely not easy for sure."
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At the start of 2025, Andreescu was hit with a setback and had surgery on her appendix. When the Canadian finally kicked off her 2025 season in mid-April, she took part in the French Open qualifying - which marked her first appearance in a Grand Slam qualifying event since 2018.
Andreescu has struggled to find any consistency since returning as she is only 10-9.
