'So sad': Tennis fans gutted over fresh Bianca Andreescu setback
Bianca Andreescu's rotten run of luck on the women's tennis circuit has continued, with the Canadian pulling out of the Italian Open in Rome, due to Covid-19 rules.
The 20-year-old was last month forced to withdraw from the Madrid Open after testing positive for coronavirus.
'DISRESPECT': Ash Barty dragged into Liz Cambage furore
'CLASS ACT': Barty's 'wonderful' moment after Madrid final loss
She served a quarantine period in Spain having tested positive after arrival, with subsequent tests coming up negative.
However, the former US Open champion says Covid-19 rules in Italy mean she's had to pull out of the clay court event in Rome.
"Although I have tested negative following my isolation period in Madrid and having been back in full training the last few days, the Italian Government rules put me at risk of being isolated again if I travel to Italy, so unfortunately I have to withdraw from the Italian Open this year," Andreescu said in a post on Instagram.
It's yet another setback for the 20-year-old from Ontario, who retired from the Miami Open final against World No.1 Ash Barty due to a right foot injury.
She had hoped to be ready for the WTA tour's clay-court swing leading up to the French Open, and had received a first-round bye in Rome.
Even though her latest withdrawal is not related to injury, it's still yet another disappointing setback for the 20-year-old.
Another tournament miss...🇨🇦 Bianca Andreescu has withdrawn from this weeks Rome 1000 event... Says would have to go into isolation after traveling from Spain even though tested negative recently #WTA #IBI21
— John Horn (@SportsHorn) May 9, 2021
So sad. What happened with each ?
— Bwags (@Bwags65773527) May 9, 2021
Wow! #Andreescu #Rome #covid https://t.co/0rz28F25Ed
— Radek Rogowski (RadekATP) (@Radek46823948) May 9, 2021
@Bandreescu_ withdraws from Rome due to the Italian government considering her a risk despite the fact she has recently tested negative and was isolating in Madrid !
— Elias laradi (@EliasLaradi) May 9, 2021
Bianca would have to quarantine even though she tested negative so had to withdraw. Not injury related this time@
— Wendy Tomasevic (@wenderst) May 9, 2021
Andreescu's misfortune continues
After shocking Serena Williams to win the US Open final in 2019, Andreescu has endured a horrible run of injuries.
She spent 15 months on the sidelines with a knee injury before finally returning to the court at the Australian Open in February.
She fell in straight sets in the second round to Taiwan's Hsieh Su-wei, but seemed to be finding the form that saw her win her maiden grand slam title.
She also sat out Canada's Billie Jean King Cup playoff tie against Serbia in April, but had hoped to be ready for the clay-court swing leading up to the French Open.
The latest setback means the Canadian will go into the year's second major without competing in the two lead-up events on clay and desperately short of match practice.
with agencies
Watch 'Mind Games', the new series from Yahoo Sport Australia exploring the often brutal mental toil elite athletes go through in pursuit of greatness: