Bianca Andreescu defeated Harmony Tan 6-0, 3-6, 6-1 on Monday in her first match at the 2022 US Open but made some headlines for reasons not directly related to that result.
Like Jaclyn Hendricks Noting to the New York Post, the wind gusts during Monday’s encounter made Andreescu’s Nike-made outfit such an issue affecting her play that she asked the chairperson for Change of clothes in the middle of a match.
“But can this not be considered as one of my changes? I mean it’s not my fault, it’s Nike’s fault,” Andreescu was casually mentioned during the televised broadcast. “This dress is so, so bad… I need to go, this is really bad.”
In the end, the presiding referee was forced to accept, and Andreescu returned wearing clothes more suitable for the conditions. After her win, the 22-year-old appeared to have echoed the unkind words she said about her sponsor when speaking to members of the media.
“I didn’t mean to disrespect what I said to the referee,” Andreescu explained. “I’m trying to convince him not to skip that bathroom break, because I know it’s just the two of us. He’s great when he says it’s totally fine.
“I could certainly have used a different choice of words. So I apologize to anyone I don’t respect. I love Nike and I hope I can be with them for the rest of my life. ”
The situation partly mirrors what happened earlier this month when Casper Ruud found himself in the hot water on a specific rule regarding a player’s use of the restroom after requesting a bathroom break during a match.
As for Andreescu, she will face Beatriz Haddad Maia next in the second round of the tournament on Wednesday.
