Bianca Andreescu fell just short of a main-draw return at the US Open, dropping a hard-fought qualifying match to Slovenia’s Tamara Zidansek 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 at Flushing Meadows.
How the Qualifying Match Unravelled in New York
The final-round qualifying duel began on a Thursday before rain forced a suspension with the Canadian holding a 2-0 lead in the opening set, records show. Statistics from the encounter show both competitors traded three service breaks apiece. Andreescu fired 28 winners, including seven aces, while committing 30 unforced errors. Zidansek countered with 25 winners and an identical 30 unforced errors, narrowly edging the final point tally 92-89.
Since her 2019 run in New York—where she defeated Serena Williams in the final—she has entered the US Open main draw only three times, reaching the fourth round in 2021 as her career was repeatedly interrupted by injuries.
The Long Road Back Through the Lower Tiers
Following her 2019 season, which included titles at Indian Wells and the Canadian Open in Toronto, a knee injury sidelined her at the start of 2020 just before the global tennis calendar paused for the COVID-19 pandemic. When she returned in February 2021, it marked her first competitive appearance in 16 months.
Reflecting on her rapid ascent and subsequent struggles in an interview with the BBC, Andreescu acknowledged that she was unprepared for the immense pressure and lifestyle changes accompanying a Grand Slam triumph at age 19. “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, adding that she has since learned to ask for help when facing physical and mental hurdles.
Her coach, Dusan Vemic, noted to the BBC that Andreescu had to grow up rapidly from a carefree teenager into a mature professional athlete, balancing new expectations and public visibility.
Canadian Contingent at Flushing Meadows
Andreescu was not the only Canadian to stumble at the final step of the qualifying tournament. Liam Draxl also fell in the third and final round of qualifying, losing a grueling encounter 4-6, 7-5, 7-6 (10-7) to Australia’s Tristan Schoolkate in a super tiebreak. Match metrics indicated that Schoolkate applied heavy pressure with 47 winners against 41 unforced errors, while Draxl recorded 28 winners and 16 unforced errors. The two men traded four service breaks each, with Schoolkate winning 110 total points to Draxl’s 107.
With qualifying concluded, attention turns to the main draws beginning Sunday. Leylah Annie Fernandez enters the women’s singles bracket as the 31st seed and is scheduled to face China’s Shuai Zhang in the opening round. In the men’s draw, Félix Auger-Aliassime takes the third seed and opens against Australia’s Rinky Hijikata, while Denis Shapovalov meets Serbia’s Miomir Kecmanovic.
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