US Open Qualifying: From champion to fighting for main draw as Bianca Andreescu dominates

Bianca Andreescu was cheered on by a sizeable crowd at US Open Qualifying as the popular Canadian continues to navigate what has become an increasingly new normal for her in having to fight her way into main draws after she did so at Wimbledon in June.

Andreescu though delivered a strong display at the US Open winning in just over an hour against World No.197 Eva Vedder 6-1, 6-2. The 2019 US Open champion who is currently herself ranked World No.183 was right at Vedder out of the gate taking the opening five games against her before closing out the opener in the seventh to win it 6-1.

She continued to apply pressure in the second as the former World No.4 kept successfully applying it to the point that Vedder cracked and it resulted in two breaks and the Canadian routinely sealing the win. She fired in five aces, 23 winners and claimed four breaks not losing her serve once in the contest. Although it was a qualifying match, the crowds came out for her.

As was mooted online during the tie, it is almost a bit of a strange anomaly to see a former champion having to play qualifying at the major that they won especially given it was a mere seven years ago and that a main draw wildcard wasn't even close to being on the cards for Andreescu who is a case of being given chances at times in recent years when her star still shone bright.

But as of late, that door has semi been shut and Andreescu has had to do it the hard way needing to play at smaller ITF and WTA 125 level having some success but it very much is a far cry from her Flushing Meadows triumph. Especially for a player who in theory has never lost her top level, she just hasn't been able to stay fit often and when she is fit, she is very much still a top player who can mix it with the best.

But often getting back to that best is the tricky assignment. She first played in qualifying in 2017 as a 17-year-old so it very much comes full circle when she stands in the same position at 26. She exited the event in her opener back then and then the following year she lost again in the first round. But whether what followed happened or not, 2019 then changed her life as she went from being a player who flattered to deceive in this facet to winning multiple huge titles and emerging as a tennis superstar.

But just as it looked likely that she would carry that candle on, she very much fell by the wayside in the years that followed with multiple injury setbacks and a fall down the rankings. She became the latest in what seems to be a long line of major champions around that time to never really succeed post it for now including Emma Raducanu, Sloane Stephens and Sofia Kenin. As well as Marketa Vondrousova more recently.

Players who were in supreme positions and when that ranking buzz wore off and loss of form/injuries set in, it is a hard place to jump out of. Albeit compared to other former Grand Slam champions, the hunger to return to her best is very much what drives Andreescu instead of complaining that her former status doesn't bring her more. For a place in the qualifying third round, the Canadian will take on world No. 132 Veronika Podrez.