Mississauga’s Andreescu storms back for upset win at French Open

Mississauga | Latest News | Sports |

By

Published May 31, 2023 at 9:49 am

Mississauga's Bianca Andreescu in action at the French Open on May 30. (Photo: Martin Sidorjak via Tennis Canada Twitter)

Mississauga’s Bianca Andreescu showed some of her top form from years past in storming back to win her opening-round match against a former world No. 1 player yesterday (May 30) at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris.

The 22-year-old Mississauga native earned a statement win in rebounding from a lopsided loss in the opening set to defeat former Grand Slam champ Victoria Azarenka, 33, of Belarus, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Azarenka entered the match ranked No. 18 on the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) circuit while Andreescu took to the court ranked No. 42.

Andreescu shook off some poor play in the opening set to turn the tide in the second set. From there, with momentum on her side, the Canadian remained on offence and took full control of the match.

The Mississaugan, who’s still recovering from two torn ligaments in her ankle suffered March 27 at the Miami Open, now advances to the second round on Thursday in Paris.

She’ll take on American Emma Navarro (WTA No. 75) in one of the day’s earlier matches.

Andreescu returned to action on April 28 at the Madrid Open in Spain just about a month after tearing ankle ligaments on March 27 at the Miami Open.

Ranked No. 27 when she took to the court in late April, Andreescu has slipped 15 spots in the WTA rankings since competing in Spain.

In Paris this week, she’s looking to improve upon her 2022 French Open showing, when she was knocked out in the second round.

The ankle injury suffered during fourth-round action at the Miami Open did, at least temporarily, put the brakes on Andreescu’s journey back to what she hopes will be a place once again among the women’s tennis elite.

She had been showing recent signs of getting back into the top form that earned her a shocking U.S. Open win in 2019. She had climbed to No. 31 in WTA singles rankings prior to the Miami tournament, and then climbed briefly to No. 27.

Both those rankings were Andreescu’s highest since returning to the game after a lengthy layoff in which she didn’t compete at all in 2021.

insauga's Editorial Standards and Policies advertising