After not playing a professional tennis match since last October in Indian Wells Bianca Andreescu will return to the courts on Tuesday looking to get back as one of the world’s best.
” I feel like most of the press conferences of mine are kind of like oh I am so happy to be back again,” the former US Open champion told reporters at this week’s Stuttgart Open.
Andreescu faces a tricky challenge against local player Jule Niemier. A partisan crowd is likly for those in attendance at the Porsche Arena in Stuttgart.
” My schedule hasn’t been quite consistent but that’s life and that’s been my life for the past couple of years,” said Andreescu.
The best in the world are in the German city including most notably the new world number one Iga Swiatek. Also is attendance is Maria Sakkari, Arya Sabalenka and Paula Badosa – just to name a few.
” I am very excited to play again. The last couple of months have been quite difficult. But I feel like, as cliche as this sounds, I feel like I have found myself and really developed a stronger passion for this game and I realized I truly love the sport”.
The return to the tour won’t be easy for Andreescu who is slated to face Sabalenka in the round of 16 if she is able to get past her first-round opponent.
It is worth noting Sabalenka isn’t playing at her best right now and on a fast indoor clay, you have to think that will help the Toronto native if that matchup were to materialize.
The Canadian has spent the last seven weeks training in both the IMG Academy in Florida before making the trip overseas to finish her training at the Rafael Nadal Academy in Spain.
She did practice the last few days in Stuttgart and she looks like she hasn’t missed a beat so it will be interesting to see how she fares in her first match in six months.
The meeting between Andreescu and Niemier will be their first-ever meeting in a WTA event.
