Bianca Andreescu ends 2,300-day title wait after dropping to ITF Tour
Former US Open champion Bianca Andreescu has ended a 2,300-day wait for a singles title by winning on the lower-tier ITF Tour following years of injury struggles.
The Canadian stunned the tennis world in 2019 when she defeated Serena Williams to claim the major crown as a 19-year-old.
However, her promising career was quickly derailed by a series of severe physical setbacks and an extended absence due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Injury nightmares and a dramatic rankings drop
The former world number four endured knee, abdomen, and ankle problems before an appendectomy delayed her 2025 season.
These persistent issues caused her ranking to plummet to 228 earlier this year, forcing a radical change in her comeback strategy.
Rather than continuing to struggle on the main WTA Tour, the 25-year-old opted to return to the developmental ITF circuit at the start of 2026.
This level of professional tennis offers starkly different realities, including total prize pots of just £26,000 and an absence of basic tournament luxuries.
Learning to ask for help
The recent tournament victory earned the Grand Slam winner a modest $3,000 (£2,200), a fraction of the $3.9m (£2.9m) she secured at Flushing Meadows.
Reflecting on her meteoric rise, she admitted she was utterly unprepared for the intense spotlight of becoming a major champion.
“I don’t think it’s possible to really prepare yourself, especially if you haven’t gone through that before but I wish I had a little bit more guidance after the US Open,” Andreescu told BBC Sport.
“You think you know everything at 19, and I just remember I’m not one to ever ask for help, but I am a little bit better at that now. So maybe if I did, things would have been different.”
Embracing a new perspective
Her current coach, Dusan Vemic, believes the difficult journey has ultimately forced his player into necessary personal growth.
“She had to grow up fast from a carefree teenager to a young woman that she is now,” Vemic explained.
“Being a tennis player, being an athlete, you suddenly have a different role. You become a role model for many youngsters.”
Competing against rising youngsters and veterans trying to regain form, the former prodigy has finally taken the first step towards reclaiming her status at the top of the sport.