Nike Outfit Problems Force Bianca Andreescu to Change Mid-Match; Tennis Player Blames Sponsor

Canadian tennis player Bianca Andreescu had to stop her U.S. Open match against French tennis player Harmony Tan on Monday, and Nike's the one to blame.

Competing in the Women's Singles First Round on Day One, with Nike as a sponsor, Andreescu sported a branded outfit for her match but started encountering interference with her forehand due to the flowy Nike garment.

Andreescu, 22, at one point went to the chair umpire and pleaded to allow a change of clothing mid-match since the Nike outfit was affecting her game.

“Can this not count as one of my changeovers because, I mean, it’s not my fault, it’s Nike’s fault. This dress is so bad,” Andreescu said. "This dress is so, so bad... I need to go (change), this is really bad."

Watch:

"It was just bothering me on some forehands. I just felt like it was kind of coming up a bit. Obviously, the wind didn't help," Andreescu told reporters, via Reuters.

(Photo by Robert Prange/Getty Images)

Footage of her mid-match plea with the chair umpire went viral and Andreescu later apologized to Nike for the very public thumbs-down review.

"But I meant no disrespect with what I said to the umpire. I was trying to convince him to not take away that washroom break, because I know we only get two. He was very nice to say it was totally okay," Andreescu said.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 29: Bianca Andreescu of Canada hits a shot against Harmony Tan of France during her first round match on Day 1 of the US Open Tennis Championships at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 29, 2022 in New York City (Photo by Robert Prange/Getty Images)

"I could have definitely used a different choice of wording. So I apologize to anyone I disrespected. I love Nike and I hope I can be with them for the rest of my life!"

She returned wearing a white Nike outfit after changing out of her initial set of wears.

Andreescu advanced to the second round after defeating Tan — 6-0, 3-6, 6-1 — and will face off against Beatriz Haddad Maia next.