Bianca Andreescu has finally added another trophy to her collection, her first since winning the 2019 US Open.
When Andreescu skyrocketed into the Top 5 on the WTA Tour in 2019, probably no one expected her to drop out of the Top 200 only a few years later. The Canadian had an incredible season as a teenager in 2019, winning the titles in Indian Wells, Toronto, and at the US Open.
Her breakthrough was one of the most impressive breakthroughs in the past decade. It also didn't look like a one good run, as she won two WTA 1000 trophies and a major title. However, Andreescu has struggled with injuries ever since.
She even missed the entire 2020 season and hasn't completed a full season since her breakthrough in 2019. Now, with her ranking sitting at 227 in the world, Andreescu chose an interesting approach to the start of the 2026 season.
Instead of competing in the qualifying for the Australian Open, she travelled to Bradenton, Florida, in the United States to compete in a W35 tournament. A tournament of such a category is usually used by young up-and-coming players or players who are trying to make it to the professional Tour.
Even with a ranking of No. 227, Andreescu was the highest-ranked player at the event and the top seed. Despite being an overwhelming favorite in every match she played, the 25-year-old almost exited the event already in the first round.
Malkia Ngounoue, who is a player ranked outside the Top 1000 on the WTA Tour, took a set off the former US Open champion. Ultimately, Andreescu won that opening-round match 7-5, 2-6, 6-3.
The two-time WTA 1000 champion then improved her level with each match played. She beat Tatiana Pieri 6-2, 6-1, Ella McDonald 6-4, 6-3, and her probably most impressive win was a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Lea Ma in the semi-finals of the event.
While some of her former rivals have already played their first matches at the Australian Open, Andreescu focused on her final match at the W35 on Sunday, January 18th, 2026.
Her final opponent was Vivian Wolff, a player ranked 335th in the world. Andreescu was in control of the match from start to finish. She won the opening set 6-2, and despite losing a one-break advantage in the second set, she quickly regrouped to win 6-2, 7-5 in an hour and 31 minutes.
Winning the W35 tournament in Bradenton, or the Solid Rock Construction presented by Reel Coastal Properties, which is the official name of the tournament, meant the first professional title for Andreescu since the 2019 US Open.
Although it's not a Tour-level trophy, the Canadian probably achieved exactly what she wanted by competing in Bradenton. She beat all of her opponents, started a winning streak, and likely gained some confidence. She will now want to move up the categories to start earning more points and compete for Grand Slams again.
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