All eyes on Emma
Newly-minted US Open champion Emma Raducanu will make her first official tournament appearance since she became the first ever qualifier to win a Grand Slam when she steps on court at Indian Wells this week.
The 18-year-old Brit, who was handed a wildcard into the main draw in the desert, has enjoyed a whirlwind few weeks that saw her attend the Met Gala, play tennis with Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, announce a sponsorship deal with Tiffany’s and rise to No.22 in the world rankings.
This time last year, Raducanu was ranked outside the top 300. She has yet to win a main-draw match at a WTA tour-level tournament but enters Indian Wells carrying a 10-match, 20-set winning streak from her stunning run at the US Open.
According to the Daily Mail, Raducanu, who did not renew her two-month coaching contract with Andrew Richardson, will be helped by former British No.1 Jeremy Bates at the BNP Paribas Open.