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Andreescu Wins Bradenton ITF $30,000 Pro Title
By Scoop Malinowski
While most of the tennis world is in Australia to play the season’s first Grand Slam major tournament with millions of dollars at stake, Bianca Andreescu, former 2019 US Open Champion, played in the low level W35 ITF tournament last week at Inspiration Tennis Academy in Palma Sola for a total purse of $30,000 or $3,000 for the winner. Andreescu came with her father Nicu and new coach, Dusan Vemic, former ATP player and ex coach of Novak Djokovic.
Andreescu won all five of her matches last week including Sunday’s final 62 75 vs American Vivian Wolff, ranked 325 in the world (the match had to be moved to IMG Academy indoor court due to a sudden rain wind storm which hit the site just minutes before the scheduled time of 10 am).
“So happy to be here. This win means a lot. I haven’t won a title in so long,” said Andreescu, the top seed in the tournament. “This one is very special. I’m so glad I came. Everybody has been great.” The last time won by Miss Andreescu was the 2019 US Open final where she beat Serena Williams.
The event was historic because there has never been another example of a former Grand Slam champion dropping all the way down to the ITF level. Andreescu is ranked high enough to try to qualify for Australian Open but she decided back in December to skip going to Australia and focus on going “back to my roots” and play ITFs which she did early in her pro career. For a Grand Slam champion to play an ITF is a big risk because she is the only famous player in the Bradenton draw and all of her opponents were inspired to try to beat such a famous and accomplished champion. Every match was a challenge but Andreescu rose to it and only lost one set all week, in the opening round to Malkia Ngounoue, who is ranked 1223.
The Mississauga, Ontario native who owns a 2-0 pro record vs Serena Williams, is currently ranked 225 in the world and trying to return to the elite level of pro tennis after five years of injury struggles and tough luck. .
The final point of the championship match featured a thrilling, extended rally and then an amazing volley winner by Andreescu, to clinch the victory in style.
All week Andreescu trained on the practice courts before each of her matches and sometimes after wins also, because she wanted to work on perfecting her form and feel of the ball.
The tournament director Abrie DuPlooy is no stranger to staging pro tennis, this was his sixteenth professional tournament. Despite some inclement weather issues, DuPlooy was happy with the week of hard fought competition which attracted two TV network news reporters and “not one complaint from any player.”
Also the director of Inspiration Academy, DuPlooy organized the event in just four and a half months, with the help of three major sponsors. Solid Rock Construction, Reel Coastal Properties and an anonymous concert promoter from Brazil who resides in Longboat Key.
It was a massive effort to produce the professional sports event including logistics such as player and officials hospitality, electronics for live stream broadcasts of each match, wiring for line call technology, media promotions, tickets, and countless other important details. All the while, the tennis academy continued to operate for it’s junior players.
The tournament, ran from Jan. 12-18. .
Andreescu, who is sponsored by Nike and Yonex racquets, has previously won the US Open, Indian Wells and Toronto titles, all in 2019, and almost $10m in prize money earnings. Andreescu’s best career world ranking was no. 4.
Notes: Bradenton resident and Ontario native Kurt Carter met Andreescu after the final. “I got to talk to her after the match a little bit about the last time I saw her play in Montreal, she is such a beautifully warm person with a million dollar smile. She shook my hand and now I’m not going to wash it (smiles).”
Some local celebrities came to watch the action – Former Wimbledon finalist Sabine Lisicki, who played doubles with Andreescu in 2021 in Berlin (they reached semis), David Pierce, the brother of Mary Pierce, Pat Harrison, dad of ATP players Christian and Ryan, Cedars East tennis director and former ATP pro John Eagleton, long-time Sarasota Open announcer Ray Collins.
Tennisnow.com journalist Richard Pagliaro on Bianca’s comeback: “Bibi was arguably Serena’s true kryptonite. Beat her in Canadian Masters then beat her again in US Open final. With her vast variety, court craft, incisive returns beating Serena back to back was just astounding and she beat her before pro-American crowd. Bibi is a singularly unique talent.”
Bianca Andreescu · Bradenton · ITF · WTA
