Emma Raducanu has told the BBC she is ready for "anything that comes my way" after winning the US Open.

The 18-year-old ended Britain's 44-year wait for a women's Grand Slam singles champion by beating Leylah Fernandez in straight sets.

She was asked if she's ready for how the win will change her life – and how it felt to receive a message from the Queen.

We're seeing Emma Raducanu back stage going through some last-minute training drills looking to stay sharp before she goes to work.

Two-time Grand Slam champion Tracy Austin was 16 when she won the US Open title in 1979. While the American was already a top-five player and had tour experience after bursting on to the scene as a 14-year-old prodigy, she understands the pressures which Emma Raducanu will face.

"Now everyone knows her game and she is a target. Beating Emma is a good win for her opponents and she is under the microscope. It is a lot to undertake," said Austin.

"What's important for her is stepping back from the US Open and realising she's got to gain valuable experience. She needs to play matches and not pay attention to what's being said in newspapers or on social media. She needs to be in a cocoon."

Raducanu's preparations for the Australian Open were hampered by testing positive for Covid-19 in the run-up to Christmas and she lost heavily to Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina on her return to court in Sydney last week.

"I like how she went straight to the practice court after that defeat and said she wanted to keep putting herself out there," added Austin. "That is a good attitude for someone who struggled in that match.

"Attitude is going to lead everything. Her game is there, it won't leave her, it's just the question of earning valuable experience. Usually you get to sink your teeth into matches and grow, you're building gradually. She almost has to build backwards and that's not easy."

What a few months it has been for Emma Raducanu. She reached the fourth round of Wimbledon, then ended Britain's 44-year wait for a British women's Grand Slam singles champion with her success at the US Open in September.

Then she rounded off 2021 by being named as the winner of the BBC's Sports Personality of the Year 2021 award.

Jonathan Jurejko
BBC Sport at Melbourne Park

While I’ve not spotted her face around town yet, you can’t miss Emma Raducanu at Melbourne Park.

As soon as you jump off the tram stop from the city, you walk under a covered walkway to the gates.

The perspex is plastered with Australian Open promotional material and Raducanu is one of the first faves you see.

Image source, BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

It has been a good day for the Brits in the men's singles with Andy Murray and Dan Evans both moving into the second round.

Evans overcame David Goffin in three sets, but Murray's win was more dramatic as he eliminated Georgian 21st seed Nikoloz Basilashvili in a five-set thriller.

John Isner, the 22nd seed, was beaten in a five-set match that lasted four hours 10 minutes, losing to fellow American Maxime Cressy 7-6 (7-2) 7-5 6-7 (4-7) 6-7 (4-7) 6-4.

Ugo Humbert was another seed to be eliminated on day two as the Frenchman, ranked 29th, fell to countryman Richard Gasquet 3-6 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-3) 6-3.

Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime, the ninth seed, fought back from two sets to one down to triumph 6-4 0-6 3-6 6-3 6-4 against Finland's Emil Ruusuvuori.

Roberto Bautista Agut and Grigor Dimitrov, the 15th and 26th seeds respectively, both needed four sets to see off Stefano Travaglia and Jiri Lehecka.

Elsewhere, Russia's Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rubev, Italy's Jannick Sinner, Argentina's Diego Schwartzman, American Taylor Fritz and Croatia's Marin Cilic all won their matches in three sets.

Petra Kvitova and Leylah Fernandez were among the seeds to fall on the second day at Melbourne Park.

Kvitova, a finalist here in 2019, was beaten 6-2 6-2 in just 72 minutes by Sorena Cirstea, who beat her in the second round last year.

US Open runner-up Leylah Fernandez went down 6-4 6-2 to Australian wildcard Maddison Inglis.

However, 2018 finalist Simona Halep advanced, as did sixth seed Anett Kontaveit and veteran Sam Stosur, who is playing her final singles tournament.

Image source, Getty Images

What a day it has been so far and we've still got plenty of action still to come.

At about 11:00 GMT we are expecting Britain's Emma Raducanu to be in first-round action against American Sloane Stephens.

Both players have won the US Open, with Raducanu shocking the tennis world in September to lift the trophy aged 18 and after battling through qualifying just to get into the main draw.

Let's hear from Nick Kyrgios, in his on-court interview:

On contracting Covid prior to the tournament:

"When I tested positive it wasn't great news. I had some doubts, I couldn't ask for a better team honestly. My girlfriend was there for isolation. I served well today.

"The first couple of days I was bed ridden. I was concerned I wouldn't be physically ready to play. I'm so excited to be here and this is my favourite court in the world."

His reaction to the crowd support:

"I don't know what I have done to this crowd. You guys are like a zoo now. you guys are out of control.

On facing Daniil Medvedev next:

"Medvedev is an amazing player. I'm not thinking about that. I have some doubles tomorrow."

Naomi Broady
British player on BBC Radio 5 Live

That's a good win for Sabalenka. Storm Sanders has been playing well. It didn't look good for Sabalenka to be pushed to a third set but people don't realise how well Sanders can play.

With Broady serving to stay in the match, Kyrgios steals a march and takes the first two points of the game.

Broady catches the tape and the ball flings itself unhelpfully wide for match point for the Aussie.

It's all over! Kyrgios thumps his heart and Liam Broady at least has a huge smile on his face as he leaves the court.

Amazing.

We will hear from him shortly.

Naomi Broady
British player on BBC Radio 5 Live

I wonder if the time away from the tour has given him time to reflect.

I think for me it will be interesting to see if he decides he wants to play more. He'll have to otherwise his ranking will drop and he won't be able to play in the tournaments he wants to.

Kyrgios spent time beefing up ahead of this season, and it really shows. it is about as fit as we've seen him, as he muscles his way through another love service game.

Naomi Broady
British player on BBC Radio 5 Live

I'd describe Liam's shorts as colourful camouflage. It's like you've given a kid loads of colours and you'd smudged it everywhere.

The parents might put it on the fridge begrudgingly.

Anything you can do... Broady again looks to be taking a little pace off the ball to give Kyrgios a different look, and at times stops Kyrgios in his tracks.

A confident serve to hold.

Once more towards the pointy end of the match, dear friends, and Kyrgios starts to put his game face on.

Nods sagely at the crowd noise, bangs down an ace, and round we go again as Broady steps up to keep in touch.

Naomi Broady
British player on BBC Radio 5 Live

He's been unstoppable tonight. I know Liam's coach told me the strategy was to change his return position to try an give Kyrgios [something else to contend with].

Credit to Liam that he even had a break point in the last game.

Broady is doing well to keep his nerve as he stries to stay in contention.

Kyrgios belts the netpost which clangs and comes back at him - he whacks it up and high into the crowd.

A serve to love keeps Broady in this set, and he is doing very well at blocking out the crowd.

Back to business... Kyrgios powers through his game, consolidating the break.