Interview Andreescu: ‘I tried to talk to the grass’

Being a tennis player is only a small part of who Bianca Andreescu is and how she views life. Although her career has been plagued by injuries, the still only 23-year-old Canadian keeps a positive outlook on things.

Your match with Naomi Osaka is pretty much looked forward to, how do you stand in it?
‘Our only meeting was a battle in 2019. Against someone like that, you have to play at your top level anyway. Unconsciously, I always manage that when I am face to face with such a world-class player. Our routes have similarities, as we broke through at a young age and won the US Open. I would love to see us at the top again. If I keep following her path, I’ll have a baby in two years too!’

You have just returned from a period of injury. How do you like your reunion with Libéma Open?
‘As a nature lover, I love this tournament. I tried to talk to the grass and walked barefoot on it. I try to become one with the grass. It seems grounding gives you a lot of energy. It is a living organism, so I want to be respectful of it. If I angrily throw my racket on the grass, I might get a bad bounce back from it.’

Last year, you struggled to stay away from Dutch fries. What is the state of affairs now?
‘This year ‘stroopwafels’ are my weakness. I try so hard to stay away from them, but a fan gave me a whole pack as a present. Normally I would have devoured it within two seconds, but I disciplinedly handed it in to my father. I’m proud of myself, haha.’

How would you describe your mindset on the track at the moment?
‘I try to manage my emotions as well as I can. I am quite passionate, after all. By that I don’t mean that I want to control my emotions, because I want to feel what I feel. But if I allow a negative thought or disappointment, I want to respond positively to it. If I get frustrated by a bad bounce, I need to be able to laugh that away.’

You’ve been forced to spend a lot of time off the tennis court due to your physical problems. What has kept you busy?
‘I’m grateful for the time I’ve had because I’ve learnt a lot about myself. I have figured out that tennis is not everything. Roger Federer said it in a speech just this week. A person ultimately has multiple passions. For me, being obsessed with tennis doesn’t work.’

What would you like to know more about or be better at?
‘I have a spiritual approach to life. We are souls on this earth living a human experience. Our soul is pure and we are loving and compassionate at the core. When someone does or says something negative, you should respond to it with love instead of backlash. Everyone is inherently good. That thought helps me tremendously in life. Even on the court, because I don’t put too much value on lesser moments.’

What will you absolutely do when your tennis career is over?
‘Eat whatever I want, whenever I want. I don’t know if it’s good for me to eat ‘stroopwafels’ all day, but still.’