Bianca Andreescu through at Saint-Malo WTA 125 Challenger as Elsa Jacquemot's winless form continues

Bianca Andreescu is through at the Saint-Malo Challenger but ultimately struggled against Elsa Jacquemot who continues to be low on confidence and hasn't won in some time.

Jacquemot in losing suffered her fifth defeat in her last six matches on the WTA Tour, her fourth in a row. She lost to Tyra Grant last week too in Madrid so isn't exactly having the best time of it as of late but it still wasn't easy for Andreescu.

She won 7-6(3), 7-6(5). Through the opening eight games of the match, Andreescu led 5-3 but then failed to serve out for the opener in the ninth game and also missed a set point shortly after. In the tie-break, Andreescu stepped up winning four break points and sealed the opener.

In the second set, Andreescu was twice up by a break. But Jacquemot twice came back to level the set to 3-3 before earning another break to go 5-3 up. The Canadian responded with back-to-back breaks to take a 6-5 lead.

Andreescu failed to serve it out again and another tie-break was on the way. In the second set tie-break, Andreescu went 6-0 up. Jacquemot saved the first five match points. However Andreescu went on to convert her sixth and avoid further drama albeit as those who follow her know, she never really does it without issues much to the behest of herself.

She now faces Yuan Yue in the Last 16. Before the tournament began, Andreescu also admitted that she needs to reinvent herself and not harp on about the past despite knowing in her heart of hearts that she can still win a Grand Slam. "Since 2024, I’ve realized that you can’t chase the past. You can’t go back to 2019, I’m not the same person. Now I want to reinvent myself because seven years have passed. My body knows how to win a Grand Slam. My system knows it. I know it’s possible again. I have no doubts. Of course, we are all human and we have doubts. But I truly believe I can do it again," the 2019 US Open champion said earlier this month.

"I don't give as much importance to winning or losing as I used to. That would destroy my morale. If I give my best, I can't control the outcome, right? It's in God's hands. It would be good to win once in a while, but the joy of sport evaporates. And I don't appreciate life as much."