'S-HERTOGENBOSCH, Netherlands -- -- Bianca Andreescu is learning to love the grass. In fact, the Canadian has found the turf's quick, variable conditions suit her game as well as hard courts.
"I love that the points are short and sweet," Andreescu told WTA Insider at the Libema Open. "The grass, since it's much faster, it gives me less time to think.
"On clay, I have more time to think and maybe overthink too much, and then I choose the wrong shot at the wrong time."
's-Hertogenbosch: Draws | Schedule | Scores
Playing in her second tournament of the season this week at the Libema Open, Andreescu booked a spot in her first quarterfinal since 2023 Hua Hin. After a brief rain delay on Wednesday, she defeated China's Yuan Yue 6-4, 6-4. Andreescu held off a late bid for a comeback from Yuan, striking 22 winners to 19 unforced errors and saving five of six break points in the match.
"Quarterfinals sounds really nice so I'm very happy," Andreescu said. "I don't want to get too excited, not focusing too much on the good things or the bad things and attaching myself too much. I just want to take it as it is."
Andreescu will face former No.1 Naomi Osaka on Friday for a spot in the semifinals.
READ: Andreescu's mindful approach sparks her 2024 revival
Andreescu played her first tournament in nine months at Roland Garros. En route to the third round, where she lost to eventual finalist Jasmine Paolini in three sets, the 23-year-old from Toronto acquitted herself well. But there's something about the clay that has dragged her down in recent years, a trend that surprises even her.
"I was actually happy that the clay-court season wasn't very long for me, which I was happy about," Andreescu said. "I feel like my game has really evolved on hard and grass rather than clay. I don't know why that is because before clay used to be one of my favorite surfaces. When I was 17, 18 I was doing really well. And then I don't know what happened."
On grass, Andreescu's all-court game has excelled this week. Aside from her growing comfort on the surface, her last tournament final came on grass. That was in 2022 at Bad Homburg, where she lost in three tight sets to a surging Caroline Garcia.
Andreescu says she's tapping into a calmer perspective as she works her way back from her recent injury setback.
"Every break that I have I gain different tools and perspectives that help me overcome certain things," Andreescu said.
"For now -- let's wait and see -- but for now I feel like I'm managing my emotions really well. That's one of the main things that come out and can disrupt me, but at the same time it can be a superpower. So it's trying to manage it the best I can. I know it's always a work in progress."
