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Bianca Andreescu says "it really sucks" to play without her family and dog watching, claims she felt discomfort in her ankle in 1R loss to Cornet

By Stan
Modified Jun 30, 2021 14:43 GMT
Bianca Amdreescu in action against Alize Cornet
Bianca Amdreescu in action against Alize Cornet

Bianca Andreescu was knocked out of the first round of Wimbledon on Wednesday by Alize Cornet. Andreescu lost 6-2, 6-1 and remains winless at the Championships in two main draw appearances.

Not many expected the Canadian to make a deep run at Wimbledon, given she had played only four matches on grass heading into the tournament.

But the manner in which she lost to Cornet raised a few eyebrows; Andreescu was abysmal from start to finish, coughing up a whopping 34 unforced errors in 82 minutes of play. The result means the Canadian has now lost four of her last five matches on tour.

During her post-match press conference, Andreescu was asked if playing in the absence of her family and dog, Coco, due to COVID-19 restrictions had had an impact on her poor form. The former US Open champion said it was "hard" to be away from home and expressed hope that the COVID-19 regulations would end soon.

"It really sucks (to play in the absence of family and dog)," Bianca Andreescu said. "Being away from home for like more than six, seven months is super hard. But this is the world we are living in now, and I feel like I dealt with it in the best way that I could.
"It's definitely not easy," she added. "I'm sure a lot of players can agree with me. Yeah, hopefully it sends soon. That's all I can say."
Bianca Andreescu's dog coco
Bianca Andreescu's dog coco

Like many of her peers, Bianca Andreescu has also faced a tough time on grass, often losing her balance during rallies. The 21-year-old claimed she felt some "discomfort" in her ankle after a couple of tumbles.

"I slipped a lot during the game and on two or three occasions I felt an ankle discomfort," added Andreescu. "The courts are very slippery and it is not easy to compete like that."

I'm looking forward to the Tokyo Olympics: Bianca Andreescu

Bianca Andreescu will be making her debut at the Olympic Games in Tokyo in a few weeks' time. She will be joined by Felix Auger-Aliassime, Vasek Pospisil, Leylah Annie Fernandez, Gabriela Dabrowski, and Sharon Fichman in the Canadian tennis team.

When asked about Canada's medal prospects, the World No. 7 said she believes the team is capable of finishing on the podium. Andreescu further revealed she would be taking a short break after Wimbledon to refocus.

"Yeah, 100% (Canada tennis can win a medal)," Andreescu said. "I'm super looking forward to it. Going take a couple days off, see how I feel, and then go from there."