Champion to Qualifier: Andreescu's Fight Back at the US Open

Seven Years On, a Different Role at Flushing Meadows

In 2019, Bianca Andreescu arrived at the US Open as a 19-year-old relative unknown and left as champion, defeating Serena Williams in the final to become the first Canadian ever to win a Grand Slam singles title. Seven years later, she is back at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center — this time fighting through the qualifying draw to earn a place in the main bracket.

Ranked No. 183 in the world, Andreescu opened her 2026 US Open qualifying campaign on Monday with a dominant 6-1, 6-2 victory over Dutch qualifier Eva Vedder. She struck five aces and 23 winners during the match, breaking serve four times without surrendering her own service game once. The performance lasted just over an hour and served notice that, despite her current ranking, Andreescu's quality remains substantial when she is healthy and motivated.

A Comeback Measured in Qualifying Draws

The US Open qualifying appearance is not the first of this nature in Andreescu's 2026 schedule. In June, she was already forced to play through Wimbledon qualifying — an increasingly familiar experience for a player who, at one stage, appeared to be among the very best in the world. After her 2019 breakthrough, a succession of injuries to her shoulder, knee, and wrist repeatedly interrupted her trajectory and sent her ranking tumbling well outside the top 100.

Now 26 years old, Andreescu has been competing at a level where qualifying is the entry point rather than the exception. Unlike some former Grand Slam champions who have reduced their schedules or stepped away from the tour in similar circumstances, she has continued to compete, accepting the demand of earning her place match by match. Her current ranking means she needs three qualifying wins before she can even step onto a main-draw court.

Monday's dismissal of Vedder was the first hurdle cleared. Her second-round opponent is Veronika Podrez, a Ukrainian ranked No. 132 and seeded 24th in the qualifying draw, who reached round two with a 6-2, 0-6, 6-3 win over American Caroline Dolehide. Podrez's inconsistent scoreline suggests she can be pressed — but she has been a solid performer on the hard-court swing this summer.

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What Her Return Represents

Andreescu's presence in the qualifying draw at her own signature major has attracted considerable attention from across the tennis world. The circumstances place her in rare company: few Grand Slam champions of the Open Era have found themselves needing to qualify at the very tournament they once won. Former champions Sloane Stephens and Emma Raducanu faced similar situations after their own improbable title runs, though both eventually took extended breaks. Andreescu is still here, still competing.

The wider qualifying field includes a number of other noteworthy names. Robin Montgomery posted a comprehensive 6-1, 6-1 win over Canadian Kayla Cross on Monday to advance alongside Andreescu. In the women's main draw, Coco Gauff enters as top seed and defending champion, having won the Cincinnati title last weekend — meaning the two-time US Open champion can focus entirely on the main draw while Andreescu battles to get there.

Three Wins to Reach the Main Draw

To secure a place in the main draw at Flushing Meadows, Andreescu must win Tuesday's second-round match against Podrez and then the final qualifying-round match scheduled for Wednesday or Thursday. A passage through all three rounds would bring her back to a US Open main draw for the first time in several seasons. Her 2019 title remains the defining moment of her career — a record that no ranking slide can diminish — and every match she plays here carries the weight of that history. Whether or not she ultimately qualifies, the mere fact she keeps showing up is a story in itself.