Rome: New racquet, sober lifestyle kickstarts latest Bianca Andreescu comeback

ROME, Italy—At 24 years old, Bianca Andreescu felt like she was running out of time.

“I felt like I’d wasted time,” she told me more precisely last night at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia.

It was a chilly night in Rome and Andreescu had just scored her first completed win over a Top 20 player since 2023 (Roland Garros, d. Victoria Azarenka). When the Canadian was in the midst of her breakthrough 2019 season, which famously culminated with a maiden major title at the US Open, Andreescu had become accustomed to the long night-late finish grind of a three-set match. Years of injuries and absences gave the feeling new freshness.

“I’ve missed this,” she smiled after a 6-1, 3-6, 6-2 victory over Donna Vekic.

It’s such a good feeling to really take control of your life. Bianca Andreescu

A six-week delay to her season had ballooned into four months when the former world No. 4 required surgery for her appendix. The procedure was, improbably, her first time under the knife.

“Not bad, right?” she’d joked to a mesmerized group of reporters following her first-round win on Wednesday. Andreescu credited mother Maria—who stole the show from the player’s box with the chic looks she’d often wear to her daughter’s matches—with guiding her toward less invasive methods.

“It was a journey, for sure, because you want to be able to trust the doctors that you’re seeing. They’re world class, but sometimes their mentality is just, ‘Get under the knife,’” said Andreescu, who has suffered from shoulder, knee, back, and ankle injuries all in the last six years. “Sometimes it can even be about getting another player under their book.

“My mom was always telling me to try and stay away from surgery, and we were always able to find something else, whether it’s [plasma-rich platelet injections], stem cells, whatever it may be….Obviously there’s what ifs, but going with what I feel too. Everybody says if you can avoid going under the knife, do it, because there can be serious complications with that.”

Finally injury-free, Andreescu set to work at revamping every aspect of her career. She rehired coach Antonio Fernandez Cantisano, a one-man band in a era of bloated player teams.

“He’s all in one: physio, hitting partner, coach, emotional support, bodyguard!” she said of Cantisano, who she first worked with in 2023.

She changed racquets, switching from Head to a Yonex EZONE, a popular frame that Madison Keys picked up to win the Australian Open earlier this season.

“My coach last year, J.T. [Nishimura], he played with Yonex. It was kind of a spontaneous thing: I broke two strings, I didn’t have any more racquets, I tried his racquet and I was like, ‘Holy shit, this is nice!’ It just kind of went along with that.

“For me, it was the control aspect, but also being able to have my variety. I added a little bit of weight to the sides, and that’s helping with my serve to have a bit more pop. I just feel more comfortable with it.”

She radically up-ended her nutrition and became gluten- and dairy-free—a marked departure from the teenager who celebrated her US Open title with cupcakes from Magnolia Bakery—and revealed earlier this week that she was six months sober earlier in the week, elaborating further on Friday night.

...I’m not wasting any more time. Everything needs to be perfect and the standards need to be high, for myself, for my team, and everyone in my life. Bianca Andreescu

“December 14th is when I completely stopped,” she confirmed. “For me, it was just a mindset shift with everything. Now my new mindset is that I’m going to give 110%, and I’m not wasting any more time. Everything needs to be perfect and the standards need to be high, for myself, for my team, and everyone in my life.

“I feel like I’m finally able to express myself in the way that I want,” added Andreescu, continuing to explore a COVID-era hobby music production, “but that also comes with experience. Three years ago, no chance would I be able to do what I’m doing now, and that’s a really nice feeling to be really committed and disciplined.”

She arrived in Rome fresh off her first title of any kind since 2019, a WTA 125K doubles title with Aldila Sutjiadi. Despite competing on her least favorite surface, Andreescu feels a lightness she hasn't felt since her days on the junior circuit.

“The last time I felt like this was when I was 14, believe it or not, when I won Les Petit As. I have those similar feelings, because even in 2019 I never felt this type of motivation. Without going through these challenging moments, I don’t think I would be here.

“It’s such a good feeling to really take control of your life,” she concluded. “I love it.”

The 2020s tennis tapestry has long suffered a hole where Andreescu ought to be; a player who won her first eight matches against Top 10 players and captured two WTA 1000 titles, she still has a game that can compete with the best in the world.

On Wednesday Andreescu sighed at the thought she was doomed to be unable to ever compete a full calendar year, but after almost six years of comebacks, this may just be the one that sticks.