Former US Open winner Bianca Andreescu recently revealed that she has decided to withdraw from the 2022 Australian Open. The Canadian tennis star announced her decision on Twitter sharing a long and heartfelt message for her fans explaining the decision.
The 21-year-old missed an entire season mainly due to her back problems. She then came back to the tour and played in a few events. She last featured in the 2021 Indian Wells and is currently looking to take a break from the sport. Andreescu’s current break is not due to any physical problems or injuries.
In her tweet, she has explained how tough it has been for the Canadian youngster to recover and then made her way back to the tour. The two years have taken a massive toll on her mentally and she currently needs a break from the sport to improve her mental health. She also explained how her illness has also affected her grandmother’s health. She also wrote that her mental illness has had an adverse effect on her recent performance.
“Especially this year, in particular, I spent multiple weeks in isolation quarantining, which affected me greatly – both mentally and physically. In addition, my grandmother spent several weeks in the ICU for a COVID infection, something that really hit me hard.”
“A lot of days, I did not feel like myself, especially while I was training and/or playing matches. I felt like I was carrying the world on my shoulders. I could not detach myself from everything that was going on off the court; was feeling the collective sadness and turmoil around and it took its toll on me,” the 21-year-old pointed.
Mental health has been a talking point in sports lately and tennis in general. Japan’s Naomi Osaka has also raised the issues multiple times. She withdrew from the Fench Open and Wimbledon citing mental health issues.
The Canadian youngster also was hopeful as he assured her fans that she will be back stronger after taking a sabbatical from the sport. The 21-year-old made it official that she won’t be returning to Melbourne for the Australian Open next year. However despite taking time off the tour, the Canadian emphasized that she will be going through rigorous training sessions. Andreescu had a rough year especially with her first-round exits in the French Open and Wimbledon, therefore she will look to come back stronger than ever after her break.
