Indian Wells: Emma Raducanu says it has been a 'very cool three weeks' since US Open win

  • By Russell Fuller
  • BBC tennis correspondent in Indian Wells

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption, Raducanu attended the James Bond premiere last week

Emma Raducanu says it has been "pretty cool" to receive the congratulations of other players at Indian Wells, but now is the time to get back to business.

The US Open champion, 18, has a bye to the second round of the BNP Paribas Open in California as the 17th seed.

She will face world number 100 Aliaksandra Sasnovich of Belarus on Friday in her first match since winning in New York.

"It's really nice," the Briton said of the congratulations of her peers.

"All the players are very friendly. I'm still very new on the tour - so it's pretty cool.

"But I haven't really spent too much time hanging around. I've just been training and getting about my business, and then leaving."

Since becoming the first qualifier to win a Grand Slam singles title, Raducanu has attended the Met Gala and the London premiere of the new James Bond film.

She added: "It's been a very cool three weeks. I got to experience some great things that I probably never would have got to do before."

Raducanu is currently without a permanent coach having decided against extending her short, but incredibly successful, partnership with Andrew Richardson.

She is being assisted in Indian Wells by Jeremy Bates, who works with the British number six Katie Boulter as part of his duties as a Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) national coach.

"Jeremy is part of women's tennis at the LTA, so while he's here, he's helping me out," Raducanu said.

"But going forwards, I'm just going to wait and try and find the right person. I'm not going to rush into anything. I want to make sure I make the right decision.

"I'm just looking for the general things in a coach, really. Someone you get along with well, and someone who can push you."

Sasnovich, 27, booked her meeting with Raducanu thanks to a 6-0 6-4 win over Colombia's Maria Camila Osorio in round one.