Andreescu sees rise of Swiatek, Raducanu as a reality check: "To put me in my place like come on, your time is slowly running out"

Bianca Andreescu heads into this year's Roland Garros free from injury and looking more and more to get back to her best.

It is only a second round best at the French Open for the 21-year-old Canadian who hasn't played in the tournament since winning her US Open.

She spoke to the media ahead of the tournament starting for her on Monday and what she brings to the surface.

“I feel like I have been playing really well on clay, and I have been playing against some high-level athletes so I know kind of where my level is at, which is great,” she told reporters on Saturday in Paris.

"My change of rhythm I think works well because of the bounces on the clay. My kick serve I think is very effective," she continued.

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Also she brings her new partnership with Sven Groeneveld which has seen her produce in particular a good run in Rome since returning.

“I still feel that there can always be an improvement in my game regarding shot selection, and I have been working a lot with Sven on that. And also, all other parts of my game. He tests me a lot, and he says that I have more tools in my toolbox than I actually think.

“I have been really showing that on court, and he's helping me bring that out of me. And that could be little things, like maybe even a short-slice crosscourt which I don't normally use. We are continuously working on stuff like that, or maybe serving and volleying, like little things like that that can for sure make a difference at the end of the day."

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Comparisons with Swiatek, Gauff etc

At only 21, the comparisons are of course there with Emma Raducanu, Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff but as a long time member of the WTA tour, she believes that it is a reality check.

“I still feel that I'm young, but at the same time when I do see players like Coco Gauff, Emma Raducanu, Iga (Swiatek), she's younger than me, I feel like I'm getting older,” she said with a smile. “So it's a good reality check to put me in my place, like, ‘Come on, your time is slowly running out’ which is good in a way."

Future goals

On what the future has to hold for Andreescu, the former World No.4 hopes to soon be climbing the rankings and claiming Grand Slam titles again.

“I'm still focusing on the process to get to where I want to get," she revealed. "I obviously have goals to crack the top 10 again and win other Grand Slams, more tournaments, I really want to focus on the process to get towards that, and it's been working really well.

“I know I can go above and beyond when I need to, which gives me a lot of confidence.”