Former Grand Slam champion fails to make it through Wimbledon qualifying and goes out in second round

The stars of the WTA Tour are ramping up their Wimbledon preparations as they get ready for the third Grand Slam of the year.

There are few events more difficult to predict than Wimbledon, as the last eight tournaments have yielded different winners.

In 2024, Barbora Krejcikova won Wimbledon as the number 31 seed, one year after her countrywoman Marketa Vondrousova became the first unseeded player to win at the All England Club.

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This time around, many are predicting Grand Slam winners Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, and Madison Keys to make deep runs at SW19.

One former Grand Slam winner won’t be joining the field, however, following her shock defeat in the second round of Wimbledon qualifying.

Bianca Andreescu is knocked out of Wimbledon qualifying in the second round

Returning to the WTA Tour at the beginning of the 2025 clay-court season, 2019 US Open champion Bianca Andreescu quickly found her footing, embarking on an impressive run to the last 16 in Rome.

Failing to make the cut for Roland Garros, Andreescu entered Grand Slam qualifying for the first time in seven years.

After winning her opening match in straight sets 6-0, 6-0, Andreescu lost in the second round of French Open qualifying, 6-2, 6-7, 4-6.

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Missing out on an appearance in the main draw of the French Open, the 25-year-old was no doubt determined to make amends on grass.

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Just as she did in Paris, Andreescu started strongly, winning her opening match in Wimbledon qualifying against Brazil’s Laura Pigossi, 6-2, 6-1.

Next up was a tough test against her fellow Canadian, Carson Branstine, who beat two seeded players at the Libema Open earlier this month.

Losing out in three sets, Andreescu fell to Branstine 6-7, 6-4, 1-6, as she missed out on the main draw of a Grand Slam for the second time this year.

The world number 147 will now have to reset, as she looks to find some form before the US Open, an event for which she will likely be given a Wild Card.

What happened to Bianca Andreescu after she won the US Open in 2019?

Andreescu shocked the world at the 2019 US Open, winning the title on her Flushing Meadows debut.

Match Opponent Result Score 2019 US Open – F Serena Williams Win 6-3, 7-5 2019 US Open – SF Belinda Bencic Win 7-6, 7-5 2019 US Open – QF Elise Mertens Win 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 2019 US Open – 4R Taylor Townsend Win 6-1, 4-6, 6-2 2019 US Open – 3R Caroline Wozniacki Win 6-4, 6-4 2019 US Open – 2R Kirsten Flipkens Win 6-3, 7-5 2019 US Open – 1R Katie Volynets Win 6-2, 6-4 Bianca Andreescu’s 2019 US Open run

Finishing the year ranked fourth in the world, the sky was the limit for Andreescu, as many predicted she would win more Grand Slams in the future.

Unfortunately for the youngster, a knee injury, combined with the global pandemic, all but wrote off her 2020 season, as she made her return ahead of the 2021 Australian Open.

It didn’t take her long to return to the top, qualifying for the final of the 2021 Miami Open, where she came up short against Ashleigh Barty, retiring due to injury in the second set.

Failing to build any momentum from her run in Miami, Andreescu finished the year as the world number 46.

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Things got worse in 2022, as she struggled for form, except for a run to the final in Bad Homburg and a WTA 1000 quarterfinal appearance in Madrid.

Andreescu chose to take a hiatus from tennis mid-way through 2023 as results continued to disappoint, returning to the WTA Tour in June 2024.

The return was largely unsuccessful, reaching just one semi-final at the Libema Open, taking down Naomi Osaka en route to the last four.

One year on, Andreescu finds herself at a career crossroads, as her ranking continues to fall year after year, and her Grand Slam victory now seems a distant memory.

Bianca Andreescu’s year-end rankings

Only time will tell if Andreescu can rediscover the form that saw her beat Serena Williams in a Grand Slam final, but it will certainly be something to look out for as the season progresses.

Andreescu is not currently scheduled to appear at any WTA Tour events over the next few weeks, as fans will have to wait and see where she returns to action.

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