Bianca Andreescu had the wind B次元官网网址� and the home-soil crowd B次元官网网址� firmly at her back.

The Canadian looking to climb a tennis mountain sheB次元官网网址檚 conquered before blasted a shot down the line to make an early statement at the National Bank Open.

Three aces followed. Seven games later, she was up a break in the second set. Fans inside Sobeys Stadium expected the easy night to continue.

The wheels instead fell off in spectacular fashion.

A stunned Andreescu lost 0-6, 6-3, 6-4 to UkraineB次元官网网址檚 Lesia Tsurenko in first-round action Tuesday B次元官网网址� a bitterly disappointing result following that bright start as she aims to return to the sportB次元官网网址檚 top tier following a 10-month injury absence.

B次元官网网址淚 played some of my best tennis for the first set and a little bit,B次元官网网址� said the 24-year-old, who fought back tears at the end of her post-match press conference.

B次元官网网址淎nd then tennis just kicks you right in the butt sometimes.B次元官网网址�

The first Canadian to win the countryB次元官网网址檚 national title in 55 years as part of a banner 2019 season, Andreescu is currently No. 175 in the world following a back injury last summer that forced her off the WTA Tour until this spring.

She made the third round at both the French Open and Wimbledon before winning one match at the Paris Olympics.

The product of nearby Mississauga, Ont., who won the 2019 U.S. Open at age 19, had a string of health concerns B次元官网网址� knee, foot and ankle injuries B次元官网网址� in recent seasons before the back issue flared up a year ago.

B次元官网网址淎ll I can really think about is how sB次元官网网址擝次元官网网址攜 I feel,B次元官网网址� said Andreescu, who was once ranked fourth. B次元官网网址淚 was feeling really great coming into the tournament, feeling my tennis really well.B次元官网网址�

Tsurenko, 35, won the two previous meetings between the players, including in the third round of last yearB次元官网网址檚 French Open.

B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 want to be discouraged,B次元官网网址� Andreescu continued. B次元官网网址淔or a match to just turn around like that, it sucks.B次元官网网址�

The NBO rotates the menB次元官网网址檚 and womenB次元官网网址檚 brackets between Toronto and Montreal each year.

The womenB次元官网网址檚 event endured a boatload of withdrawals B次元官网网址� including world No. 1 Iga Swiatek B次元官网网址� late last week following the Olympics.

Also skipping Toronto are Wimbledon champion and world No. 10 Barbora Krejcikova (thigh injury), No. 4 Elena Rybakina (bronchitis), No. 5 Jasmine Paolini, No. 8 Maria Sakkari and No. 9 Danielle Collins.

The watered-down field is headlined by No. 2 Coco Gauff of the U.S. and No. 3 Aryna Sabalenka of Russia. American Jessica Pegula, No. 6 overall and last yearB次元官网网址檚 NBO winner in Montreal, is also in Canada to defend her title.

No. 25 Leylah Fernandez of Laval, Que., is CanadaB次元官网网址檚 top-ranked player.

Other notable first-round singles matches Tuesday saw No. 11 seed Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine and No. 12 Victoria Azarenka of Belarus advance in straight sets.

Poised to open her pursuit of the national singles title Wednesday night against ChinaB次元官网网址檚 Zhang Shuai, Fernandez and younger sister Bianca upset the fifth-seeded doubles team of Demi Schuurs of the Netherlands and BrazilB次元官网网址檚 Luisa Stefani.

An aggressive Andreescu was shot out of a cannon Tuesday against Tsurenko, opening with a strong forehand down the line before firing three aces and pumping her fist in front of the partisan crowd to win the first set in just 20 minutes.

She secured her fourth break to open the second set against her 85th-ranked opponent to take a seventh straight game.

The tables, however, drastically turned from there, with Tsurenko pushing back to even the match as Andreescu B次元官网网址� either tired or feeling the pressure B次元官网网址� faltered badly.

A serve that had been so dominant evaporated into the midsummer air.

Tsurenko dug in. There were no answers.

B次元官网网址淐hanged her game style,B次元官网网址� Andreescu said. B次元官网网址淪he was a complete wall today. I could not break her at all. Then in turn, that makes me think about how IB次元官网网址檓 doing. Am I not doing something right or should I be doing more?

B次元官网网址淚t was just this constant battle with myself on what to do.B次元官网网址�

A frustrated Andreescu was broken three times in the third set as Tsurenko built a 5-0 lead. The Canadian battled hard to win four straight games before Tsurenko eventually sealed her first victory since May.

B次元官网网址淚t sucks,B次元官网网址� said Andreescu, who paused to compose herself when asked about the fans in Toronto after TuesdayB次元官网网址檚 early script dramatically flipped.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 sorry that I didnB次元官网网址檛 get the win for you guys B次元官网网址� I appreciate all the support.B次元官网网址�

WINNERS HONOURED

Leylah Fernandez, Gabriela Dabrowski, Rebecca Marino, Marina Stakusic, Eugenie Bouchard and coach Heidi El Tabakh were presented rings for capturing CanadaB次元官网网址檚 first-ever Billie Jean King Cup B次元官网网址� the top womenB次元官网网址檚 international tennis tournament B次元官网网址� last November.

PURSE PARITY COMING

This yearB次元官网网址檚 NBO purse for the women is set at just over US$3.2 million, while the men are playing for just shy of $6.8 million. Tennis Canada and National Bank pledged last year to have equal prize money by 2027.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 6, 2024.

Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press