Bianca Andreescu suffered a horrific ankle injury in her fourth-round match at the 2023 Miami Open. With Andreescu trailing by a set to Russia’s Ekaterina Alexandrova, the Canadian rolled her ankle in the third game of the second set.
Andreescu was inconsolable as she screamed frightfully in front of a small pocket of fans on the Grandstand court including her mother who was in tears. The former US Open champion required lengthy on-court assistance before being escorted away using a wheelchair.
Devastating. Happened 10 feet away from me. I was sitting right on that baseline. 🥺. All good thoughts for Andreescu. pic.twitter.com/lm81zUEjvD
— Stephanie Myles (@OpenCourt) March 28, 2023
It is a massive setback for Andreescu, who has endured years of injury torment throughout her career. Since her breakout 2019 season, Andreescu has played in a limited capacity due to a succession of injuries. Towards the end of 2021, she took a six-month break from tennis for mental health reasons, alluding that she almost quit the sport.
Standing ovation for Bianca Andreescu in Miami.
Her mom is in tears. And you can see the look on Bianca’s face as she leaves the court in a wheel chair.
She looks so broken. No one deserves this.
Everyone send her your prayers tonight 🙏🏼 pic.twitter.com/FxxG7iQYgZ
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) March 28, 2023
“Not Again” Andreescu Screamed Moments After Ankle Roll
Andreescu looked to have hit her stride in the past week. She strung three successive wins at a WTA 1000 tournament for the first time since Rome last season. In the catalog of Andreescu’s injuries, this is undoubtedly a gut-wrencher. She winced uncontrollably in pain and screamed “not again!” as she was wheeled away from the court.
The crowd was in disbelief and dumbfounded. Her mother was tearing up before being comforted by a close family member in attendance.
None of the broadcast partners of the tournament released any footage of the injury, but there are parallels to be drawn to the gruesome ankle ligament damage Alexander Zverev suffered at last year’s Roland Garros. The German never played again for the remainder of the 2022 season.
Andreescu retired, giving Alexandrova safe passage into the quarterfinal where she will face Petra Kvitova.
Main Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
