Andreescu Admits She Had To Overcome 'Fear and PTSD' After Painful Injury

| by Alfredo Bassanelli

Bianca Andreescu returned to the WTA Tour after a painful injury, and admitted to battling fear and PTSD to make her courageous comeback.

In the world of professional sports, injuries can bring an athlete's career to a sudden halt. For Bianca Andreescu the recent Miami Open brought an unwelcome turn of events. After tearing two ligaments in her ankle during a match, Andreescu faced a daunting road to recovery.

However, her determination to overcome both physical and mental challenges has not only allowed her to return to the court but has also inspired fans worldwide as she was able to come back to the tennis court only one month after the injury.

At the 2023 Madrid Open, Andreescu made her first appearance since the fateful injury. Although she didn't win the match against Xiyu Wang, the 2019 US Open champion proved her resilience by stepping back into the arena just a month after her injury. After the match, she spoke to WTA Insider and revealed what she had to go through.

"I worked really hard during my rehab because I wanted to get back on court as soon as possible. I've been through the process so I knew what to expect. My progress was pretty up and down. But the last week I would say I made the biggest progress. Honestly, until two days ago I didn't feel as confident. So it was super, super soon. It was really great to test my ankle in a match like this. It was almost three hours."

The Canadian was very close to a victory in the second-round match against fellow 22-year-old player, but it ultimately slipped out of her hands and she lost the match in three sets. But Andreescu didn't want to focus on the negatives after the match.

Andreescu Suffers Disappointing Loss 1 Month After Horrific Injury
Andreescu Suffers Disappointing Loss 1 Month After Horrific Injury

"I knew I could have had it, especially in the second set. I think she played great tennis. She was serving very well. I feel like my serve went down a bit. But it's great to be back on court nonetheless."

Andreescu's mental strength played a crucial role in her recovery. She had to confront the fear and PTSD caused by the painful incident as it's very difficult for the athlete to forget what happened in the past. Alexander Zverev experienced the same thing when he returned to the clay courts one year after a painful injury.

"I worked a lot mentally to try and get rid of the fear and the PTSD of the incident because it was very very painful. Coming on clay, with the sliding, it could be pretty scary. But I think I'm in the right direction."

While the Canadian acknowledges that she's not yet at 100% capacity, she's confident in her ability to push forward. After testing her ankle in competition, she now prepares for the Italian Open, where she reached the quarterfinals last year. With a current self-assessment of 90% physical and mental readiness, Andreescu aims to achieve full strength for the upcoming tournament in Rome.

"I'm definitely not 100 percent. I would say I'm 90 percent right now, but 90 percent confident too, to go out there and push. Today was a great test, so hopefully in a week I can be 100 percent for Rome."

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