Andreescu finds doubles groove in Paris

Bianca Andreescu reached the third round in singles at Roland-Garros for the first time this year, but it is her surprise run to the mixed final in Paris that is the talk of the town. 

In the first Grand Slam mixed doubles draw of her career, the 22-year-old has reached her first major final since winning the 2019 US Open, after she and Michael Venus defeated Gabriela Dabrowski and Nathaniel Lammons on Court Simonne-Mathieu, 7-6(5), 7-6(4).

Andreescu and Venus will face Miyu Kato and Tim Puetz in Thursday's mixed doubles final, following the Japanese-German pair's 7-5, 6-0 victory over Aldila Sutjiadi and Matwe Middlekoop.

In the past, injuries have caused Andreescu to be more cautious with her schedule, which is why she hasn’t played doubles at any Grand Slam since the 2019 US Open. 

“Mainly because of my injuries and the fact that I wanted to focus on singles and all that stuff,” Andreescu told rolandgarros.com.

“But I love playing doubles. It's super fun and you get to work on a lot of things that you can implement in the singles game as well.”

A serendipitous pairing

A chance meeting with doubles stalwart Venus, who won the Roland-Garros doubles title with partner Ryan Harrison in 2017, got it all started.

The Kiwi has a connection with Christophe Lambert, the Canadian’s current coach, through Tennis New Zealand, and it was Lambert who helped facilitate the pairing. 

“When he told me that he was going to work with Bianca I started joking with him,” Venus said. “Saying, ‘Oh, you have to get me a good mixed partner’.

"He told me she would play the French and I thought he was joking with me, so I had to keep messaging him, asking him: ‘Are you being serious?’” 

Unseeded duo 'just vibing off each other'

Since Andreescu and Venus teamed up the chemistry has been on point. The pair came through three consecutive match tiebreaks to reach the semi-finals, then defeated Dabrowski and Lammons in two tiebreaks to reach the final on Wednesday.

“I think it's our energy that really gets us through those moments, I feel like we have great chemistry,” Andreescu explained. “He's the dubs specialist but I feel like a lot of things are rubbing off on me and we're just vibing off each other. They are very stressful, though. I'm not gonna lie.”

Venus may have more experience, but he believes Andreescu’s talent is what is getting the team across the line. 

“She’s unbelievable, the things she can do out there," Venus said. "I mean, obviously I knew from watching her play singles how well she hits the ball, and moves and does those things, but the intangibles, especially doubles, moving around the court and the net, reading what's happening and those things. 

“She's in some great positions and plays the right shot up there at the net, to finish the points off. So it's been really cool to play with her.”

Andreescu gives Venus credit for helping learn the art of doubles on the fly. 

“I feel like I'm still trying to figure out my net game a little bit more, but he's been helping me a lot with that,” Andreescu said. “And just seeing him do so well at the net rubs off on me as well.”

The tactical and technical points are essential to every doubles tandem and certainly responsible for their recent success, but Andreescu and Venus also have something intangible working in their favour: natural chemistry. 

“The energy is super important and he brings great energy,” Andreescu said. “I think I bring great energy too – we just combine very well together.”