"The pressure catches up with you from internal, external, everything" - Bianca Andreescu opens up about dealing with fame and social media

Former US Open champion Bianca Andreescu recently divulged how she deals with the challenges of being in the spotlight and the expectations that come with her success.

The Canadian also shared her insights on balancing her love for the sport with her well-being and happiness.

Andreescu spoke to the 'No Challenges Remaining' podcast, hosted by Ben Rothenberg, on Tuesday, August 1.

The 23-year-old talked about how she handles the attention and the criticism that comes with being a public figure, especially on social media.

"Social media changed so much. And I feel like the focus is so much on that with sponsors and having to keep up with your fans and all of that. But then you end up seeing a negative comment, but you also see all these positive ones, but then you see that negative one and it's over," she said.

Andreescu also revealed that she surrounds herself with people she can trust and that she values the things that are more important than winning or losing.

"I feel that for me, if I stay away as much as I can from social media, if I surround myself with people that I know I can trust because that's also hard when you get to a point," she said.

Bianca Andreescu also expressed her admiration for Emma Raducanu, who won the US Open title in 2021 as an unseeded teenager, and how she empathizes with her situation of dealing with the sudden fame and expectation.

"I mean, other people have obviously had, I can list all people who've won grand slams, but haven't found it easy to replicate either immediately or eventually the expectations catch up with you and the pressure catches up with you from internal, external, everything. And personally, I'm not the biggest fan. It really sucks your energy as well."

Bianca Andreescu falls to Marta Kostyuk in three-set battle at Citi Open

The Canadian suffered a disappointing loss in the opening round of the Citi Open 2023 on Monday.

Bianca Andreescu was defeated by World No. 30 Marta Kostyuk in a thrilling three-set match that lasted two hours and 43 minutes.

Andreescu started the match strongly, winning the first set 6-2. However, Kostyuk found her rhythm and confidence and broke Andreescu twice to take the second set 6-3.

The third and deciding set was a tense and dramatic affair, with both players fighting for every point. Andreescu had three match points at 5-4 on Kostyuk’s serve, but the Ukrainian saved them all with some courageous shots. Kostyuk then broke Andreescu in the next game and seal the victory 7-6 (5) in the tiebreak.

Bianca Andreescu will now turn her attention to the upcoming National Bank Open in Montreal, where she will hope to bounce back and regain her confidence on home soil.

About the author

Shashank, a tennis journalist at Sportskeeda, joined the company about a year and a half ago. Despite his background in software engineering, his passion for the sport drove him to switch gears and dive into full-time journalism before which he worked as a tech writer.

With over 1000 articles and nearly 4 million views under his belt at SK, his stories stand out thanks to his deep dives into match stats, player tactics, and historical patterns, offering readers a fresh take every time. Above all, he is meticulous, making sure to double-check information from reliable sources before sharing it.

In Shashank's view, there's no room for debate: Novak Djokovic reigns supreme as the ultimate GOAT. He draws inspiration from the Serb's resilience, hard work, and relentless attitude, channeling those qualities into his own work.

Outside of his tennis musings, he finds joy in hitting the court himself, exploring new destinations during his travels, and watching movies.

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Edited by Samya Majumdar