Former world No. 4 Bianca Andreescu advanced through the first round of Roland-Garros qualifying on Tuesday, defeating Daphnee Mpetshi Perricard 6-3, 6-2 under the roof of Court Suzanne-Lenglen. The Canadian's return to Grand Slam qualifying marks another step in her comeback after injury forced her away from top-level competition.
Why Andreescu is competing in qualifying
Andreescu skipped the Australian Open in January to compete at ITF-level events instead, a deliberate choice to rebuild her fitness and form gradually. The 25-year-old had not competed at ITF level since 2018, the year before she won the US Open over Serena Williams. Rather than risk re-injury by jumping directly into tour events, she committed to the lower circuit to test her body and regain momentum.
Andreescu's mindset shift
Accepting the qualifying route required Andreescu to set aside her ego, she told rolandgarros.com. She acknowledged that her previous approach was not working and that she needed to find a new path forward. Despite the lower profile of ITF events, Andreescu emphasized that the level of play remains challenging and that the decision to compete there was not an easy one.
Next steps
Andreescu will face Slovakian Viktoria Hruncakova in her next qualifying match. Her participation in Paris qualifying underscores the broader challenge Canadian players face in maintaining Grand Slam presence when injury forces a step back in competition level.
Sources
- Roland-Garros: Fit again Andreescu passes first Paris test. Roland-Garros official site, 2026-05-19.
Reported from public sources.