Bianca Andreescu Receives Apology After Being Hit by Body Shot

Bianca Andreescu will next be playing Suzan Lamens in the qualifying rounds of the Miami Open.

Bianca Andreescu Receives Apology After Being Hit by Body Shot

Bianca Andreescu was hit by a body shot (Image via Punto de Break, X/Nebby)

In Short
  • Bianca Andreescu was hit by a body shot during her match against Lanlana Tararudee at the WTA 125 event in Austin.
  • Andreescu has struggled to regain her former competitive level, losing three finals since her 2019 success.
  • She is set to compete in the Miami Open qualifying rounds, aiming to improve her ranking and performance.

Bianca Andreescu survived a scare during the WTA 125 event in Austin. The Canadian ace locked horns with Lanlana Tararudee and lost the match with a scoreline of 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.

During the seventh game of the third set, Tararudee inadvertently hit Andreescu on her body. Although the shot did not prompt much reaction from Andreescu, Tararudee did not waste any time apologizing.

Watch the video here:

En route to the final, the 25-year-old knocked out Paula Badosa in the semifinals. Prior to arriving in Austin, Andreescu competed at Indian Wells, where Kamilla Rakhimova came from a set down to defeat her. It was her second straight defeat this year in the main draw matches.

She will next be playing the Miami Open, but not in the main draw events. The World No.165 will lock horns with Suzan Lamens in the first qualifying match.

Bianca Andreescu wants to regain her old form

Andreescu has so far clinched three singles titles, and all of these she won in 2019. After losing the ASB Classic to Julia Gorges, Andreescu beat Angelique Kerber in Indian Wells before upsetting Serena Williams at the Canadian Open and the US Open.

Bianca Andreescu
Bianca Andreescu (Image via TENNIS.com)

Andreescu is now just a shadow of her former self. Since beating the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion in New York, Andreescu has made three finals, losing all. The last time she made a final was at the 2024 Rosmalen Grass Court Championships, where Liudmila Samsonova clinched a three-set win. One of Andreescu’s main goals is to regain her old form.

I’m trying to, I guess, reclaim that dangerous, fearless Bianca that can really stand a chance against anyone, and I think I’m getting there. I just feel that, before, I was focusing too much on, you know, trying to go back to 2019, so living in the past. And now…it’s like recreating the new Bianca, what is it? 7.0.

Bianca Andreescu said on The Big T podcast earlier this month

To do so, Andreescu, instead of the big events, signed up for the small events at the start of the season. She played in a W35 event in Bradenton and won the title to add 35 ranking points. Later, she played in another W35 tournament but suffered defeat in the semifinals. But she was successful in winning a W75 event in Vero Beach.

Going back to those levels was a decision, obviously, that wasn’t easy, right? In a way, I guess I’m going the Agassi route. I think what’s amazing is I finally got some match rhythm, which I haven’t had over the last few years. I got as many matches as I did in those three weeks, like all of last year. It’ll be interesting to see how my level right now, with what I’m implementing and what I’m working on, can she face against someone like that. I’m very excited.

Bianca Andreescu added

If Andreescu plays the main draw of the Miami Open, she will be up against Coco Gauff in the first round. The main draw of the second event of the Sunshine Doubles is scheduled to start on March 17, while the final is set to be held on March 29.

Andreescu is a former Miami finalist, reaching the semifinals in 2021. She lost the title to Ash Barty. She hasn’t featured in the fourth WTA 1000 of the season since 2023.

The last time she made a deep run at a WTA 1000 event was at the 2022 Italian Open, reaching the quarterfinals, and since then, she has made two fourth rounds at this level. Last year, she signed up for just four WTA 1000 events.

Also read: Aryna Sabalenka Admits Being ‘Fed Up Of Losing Finals’ Recently Ahead of Indian Wells Title Match