BNP PARIBAS OPEN

March 6, 2025

Emma Raducanu

Press Conference

M. UCHIJIMA/E. Raducanu

6-3, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Emma, tough one today. What were your thoughts on the match?

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, I think it was just a very difficult match for me. I think it was tough conditions, difficult ball from my opponent. Yeah, I mean, I tried to be aggressive, I tried to make the ball. But, yeah, I guess it didn't work today.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. With everything you have been through over the last couple of weeks, was it just nice to go back to the day job and just focus just on playing the other girl's ball and getting on with it, regardless of the result?

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, I think it was nice. I love Indian Wells, so I was enjoying, like, the preparation that I had here for the last week.

Yeah, I mean, I had great support around me. I was feeling pretty good. I think today was just a bit of a curveball. But, yeah, I guess it's just nice, I guess I'm just going to move on.

Q. New coach in the stands today. I know you've only worked with him for a couple of days now. Tell us a bit about Vladimir. What's he like as a guy off the court? How does he like to work?

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, I mean, we haven't necessarily done that much yet, because he arrived very, very recently. So it was the day before the match where we don't necessarily want to, like, change anything.

So we haven't actually started, I'd say, like, proper work. Yeah, from how I have met him, he's very serious, he's very professional, gets on with it. So yeah, we'll see how it goes.

Q. A lot of players talk about the court being, like, kind of a safe space and no matter what else is going on in their life they get out there, their comfort zone, this is what they do. Is that how it feels to you, or has the stuff that's happened sort of disrupted that? And how does that feel today, I guess, is the question?

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, I didn't have what happened in Dubai in my head at all today. I think, if anything, like a bit of a lack of preparation on the tennis court, playing someone who played pretty good in these conditions, I mean, extremely awkward in the wind here.

But I think it depends what sorts of frame of mind you're in. I think all the players will say, you know, if they're feeling good, like, it's great. If they're not, like, it can be more difficult and challenging.

You have to just overcome whatever hurdles that come your way and just keep going forward.

Q. Just in terms of things that have happened since Australia, Nick had to step away, I'm sure it was very disruptive, results haven't come as you would have wanted. You have Vladimir here now. Do you draw a line and say we sort of begin looking at sort of a master plan to get things going again?

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, a lot has happened since Australia. It's good that I have someone who is very experienced here. And we'll see how the work goes and how we get on as well on and off the court and the methods and everything.

So I'm looking forward to seeing how it goes. I think I just need to, yeah, keep trying to put one foot in front of the other and not look back too much.

Q. You said difficult balls from your opponent. Can you explain a little bit more? What kind of shots?

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, it was a lot of balls that were, like, very, very spinny on these courts in the day and in the wind. So it was just jumping up a lot, and then kind of short, like, almost like mishits, and then deep spinny and then flat. So I didn't really know what was coming, I guess.

Yeah, I think I wasn't able to execute necessarily very well today.

Q. Obviously it's probably hard to read too much into your last two matches, but just sort of overall since the start of February, is there any particular areas you think you need to improve over the next few weeks and months?

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, I think I'll need to improve starting the point. I think that's a big part of tennis. I think I can do that a lot better. I think I could improve I guess being more aggressive and, like, having a better quality of shot going forward into the court more.

I think I could improve every area of my game, to be honest (smiling) after today's performance. But yeah, I think everything, to be honest.