"I feel like I'm letting my team down, my family down" - Bianca Andreescu delivers emotional acknowledgement after brutal Canadian Open defeat

Bianca Andreescu was left distraught after a very tough loss to swallow in her Canadian Open first round match against Nikola Bartunkova. She felt like that she had let down her family, team and supporters after blowing a first set lead and going on to lose 7-5, 6-4.

The 2019 champion has not made it past the third round since her triumphant run on home soil. Fresh off for qualifying for her first Grand Slam since the end of 2024, Andreescu was the faster out of the blocks. Four games were won on the bounce to go 5-2 up, offering her two chances to serve it out.

Four set points came and went in that time as the Czech ticked off five consecutive games in a rampant and ruthless period to seal her the first set, with some fortune also on her side. The second set was evenly matched for the most part, but went the way of Bartunkova at the end with a break of serve to seal her the win.

Andreescu was offered a wildcard to compete as she continues to try and rejuvenate her tennis career which has stalled largely due to some frustrating injury setbacks. She had the chance to turn some wrongs into rights in Toronto but a first round defeat left her devastated, especially after those first set chances came and went.

In an emotional press conference, Andreescu let out her raw emotions following the defeat. "I don't know, sometimes it's tough," she said. "Like, I get so many opportunities with wildcards, and I obviously want to do really well, yes, here, but also any opportunity I get a wildcard. It's tough."

The 26-year-old felt like she let down so many people in heartbreaking fashion. "I feel like maybe it's true, maybe it's not, but I feel like I'm letting, you know, my team down, my family down sometimes, the supporters. Yeah, like it's, there's a lot that goes into it, and I'm very much an over thinker, but that's what I'm working on. I mean, that's why I do so much meditation and all that stuff. Sometimes it just gets the best of you, and today it definitely did."

Those intrusive thoughts continued to creep into her mind from time to time, holding her back and preventing her from focusing on the positive memories. "But again, there's so many great moments too, it's just how do I find that consistency when there are a lot of heightened emotions, let's say," she commented. "Even though I felt like I was pretty calm and collected throughout the match, I think subconsciously there are also a lot of thoughts that might pop in, like doubts, for instance. But again, you try to just acknowledge it and let it go."

Andreescu was on top of the world in a remarkable breakout campaign in 2019. Winning Indian Wells and Canadian Open titles, she backed up that form going to Flushing Meadows. Defeating Serena Williams in the final, she reached a career high of world number four and was almost certain to be regularly competing among the elite.

That prospect has been cruelly swiped away from her and tennis fans with consistent injury problems which have prevented her from regularly participating in the biggest events. Challenger Tour appearances have been more regular in 2026 as she looks to find that spark she once had.

She distanced herself from those prior triumphs, wanting to build and learn from the position that she is now in. "Now I'm thinking about what I can learn from this stage," she said. "I don't think there's a rule on how to handle it. What helped me the most was stopping asking myself how to become that player again. Now I'm thinking about what I can learn from this stage and who I am in 2026.

"A lot has happened since then. I'm not the same person anymore. In 2019, it was my first full year on tour and all I thought about was playing tennis. Now I'm trying to find those results again while being a different person. I feel like I've found that joy again"

Andreescu's Canadian Open is not over yet. She will partner with fellow countrywoman Kayla Cross who got off to a much better start in her singles campaign, taking down Katie Boulter in a tight straight sets win.