Top billing for Emma as life in lights begins
ALL change for Emma Raducanu this week, swapping New York’s skyscrapers and coastal air for palm trees and parched desert mountains. As she prepares for her first match since winning the US Open, the biggest swap of all is free-swinging anonymity for celebrity and being a target for other players.
In the early hours tomorrow (UK time), the next phase of Raducanu’s career begins when she tackles Aliaksandra Sasnovich in the second round of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells, having received an initial bye.
When Raducanu arrived in New York seven weeks ago, she was not even allowed a practice court, in common with other qualifiers. Now she plays her first match in southern California with top billing for the night session in the 16,000-seat stadium financed by the tournament’s owner, Oracle billionaire Larry Ellison.
Andy Murray also features in a Friday evening programme designed to pull in the punters to an event running for the first time since March 2019. A sign of the times is that the Kent teenager features more heavily in local promotions.
Raducanu is moving forward without coach Andrew Richardson, discarded after the US Open. Tonight will be the first test of whether that was a smart move.
Contrary to some reports, sources close to Richardson have made clear he would have been happy to carry on in the role and undertake a full travel schedule.
Instead, Raducanu will be relying on the temporary help of former British No1 Jeremy Bates, whose technical expertise is highly respected within the game.
It is believed that neither of Raducanu’s parents, Ian and Renee, have made the trip to California, as was the case at Flushing Meadows.
The search for a permanent coach has begun, and one with plenty of experience is being lined up. It was clear, however, that the Raducanu philosophy puts less of a premium than other players on having a mentor figure in charge.
Among the extraordinary statistics which attach themselves to her rise is that she has never won a set in her two appearances at this main WTA Tour level, below the Grand Slams.
With that in mind she is willing herself to continue trying to enjoy the moment, and insisted she is not feeling any pressure.
‘I haven’t got to that point yet. I will let you know when that happens,’ she said. ‘I am just enjoying myself playing in venues like Indian Wells. It is a step up from where I was playing in the lower 25s (Futures circuit). I feel grateful to be able to be here. There are still so many tournaments on the tour I haven’t played.’
Sasnovich is the world No100, who was Serena Williams’ opponent when the American great retired at Wimbledon this summer through injury.
The Belarusian, 27, has an adaptable game that can feature forehand slices, and she will be tricky if Raducanu does feel the strain of this new occasion.
Murray could tell Raducanu all about pressure, but has problems of his own as he tackles another crafty opponent, languid Frenchman Adrian Mannarino. These extend beyond him losing his wedding ring, which he had left tied to the shoelaces of his tennis footwear when they were stolen from a car park this week.
Murray has again relied on a wildcard and badly needs ranking points to avoid plummeting back down towards 200.
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