Bianca Andreescu: Former US Open champion "wanted to quit" tennis

Former US Open champion Bianca Andreescu has revealed she “wanted to quit” tennis before taking a break from the sport earlier this year.

The 21-year-old had a breakthrough season in 2019 after triumphing at Indian Wells, the Canadian Open and the US Open.

She has been plagued by injury since, however, and has failed to recreate her best form.

After struggling with her mental health at the start of 2022, Andreescu decided to take a break from the tennis court.

“I’m being really honest here, but I actually wanted to quit the sport,” she told WTA Insider.

“It was really bad. I am privileged in a way for having this opportunity and doing all of this. Now I’m very grateful, more than ever.

“So I don’t want people to think, ‘Oh you’re a little baby, just suck it up.’ But it was an accumulation of two-and-a-half years. A lot had happened and I just didn’t want to deal with anything anymore.

“So I realised that I really do love the sport and I do want to continue, but not just to win Grand Slams, or to do this and that.

“I want to do something bigger in the sport and I want to help contribute to a better world as well. I realise that tennis is my way toward that.”

Now ranked world number 121, Andreescu will make her return at the Stuttgart Open. She is set to come up against Jule Niemeier in the opening round this afternoon.

During her time away from tennis, the young star went on a retreat to Costa Rica and discovered ways to improve her mental health. She now believes she has a new perspective on her career.

“I think I am patient because I felt like before, I felt so much pressure – not coming from other people, even though that’s inevitable – but the pressure I put on myself, it was constant stress on me,” she said.

“I felt