Bianca Andreescu opens up about her mental health struggles and how she almost quit tennis

Bianca Andreescu has candidly shared details about her personal battle with mental health and how it nearly led her to abandon her tennis career.

In 2022, the former US Open champion took a three-month mental health break at the beginning of the season. Andreescu bravely opened up about the immense chaos she had experienced within herself, which had made it difficult for her to enjoy her sport and even listen to herself.

The Women's Tennis Association (WTA), in collaboration with Modern Health, is launching a three-part series titled "The Real Me: Bianca Andreescu."

The first part of the series has already been released. It features Andreescu discussing how tennis had taken over her life and how her self-worth was tied to her performance on the court. The pressure became so intense that she even considered giving up the sport altogether.

"Like looking back now I know that I didn’t have enough love for myself outside of being just a tennis player. I felt like I was basing so much of my self-worth on results," Bianca Andreescu said.

"At the time, I had no idea because I never really felt that way. Ever in my life. So it was just I was confused, I was shocked, overwhelmed and I had no idea what to do.

"Literally as harsh as it sounds I wanted to quit the sport. I had no love for the game whatsoever. So then at that point is when I took my break. My mental break."

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Bianca Andreescu appointed as Tennis Canada's Mental Timeout ambassador

Bianca Andreescu at the 2019 WTA Finals

Tennis Canada have appointed Bianca Andreescu as their ambassador for the Mental Timeout program. The initiative is a crucial step towards fulfilling the organization's mission to create a safe and inclusive environment for all individuals who participate in the sport.

Along with Andreescu, Alexis Galarneau and Rob Shaw were also appointed ambassadors for the initiative.

Former US Open champion Andreescu's role will encompass promoting mental health and wellness. She will have to raise awareness about the significance of taking breaks and prioritizing mental health as an athlete.

Andreescu took to social media to share the news of her ambassadorship. She also expressed her desire to inspire the upcoming generation to be more vocal about their mental health and to prioritize it.

"Proud to be a @TennisCanada ambassador for the Mental Timeout initiative supported by @beneva_ca. As an athlete, I know the importance of mental health, and I want to inspire the next generation to prioritize mental health and seek guidance when needed," Andreescu tweeted.

On the court, Andreescu was most recently seen at the 2023 Madrid Open, where she suffered a Round-of-64 exit against Wang Xiyu.