CINCINNATI (AFP) — A local breakfast staple will be on the menu when Emma Raducanu returns to New York next week to begin preparations for defending her US Open title.

The London teenager who won the Grand Slam from a qualifying start without dropping a set has her mind set on scratching a particular non-tennis itch.

"I've really been craving a bagel for the last year," the 19-year-old said after Thursday's 7-5, 6-4 third-round loss to US seventh seed Jessica Pegula at the ATP and WTA Cincinnati Masters.

"I'm really looking forward to seeing the city. But of course the tournament — I've got special memories there from the juniors and then last year, obviously that happened."

"I'm looking forward to it."

Raducanu and her team are taking a look back at her run to glory which ended with the title last September.

"I'm rewatching my matches from the US Open." she said. "There are certain moments where I was given a lot of gifts (opponent errors) or maybe they got a bit tight."

"I think I've improved as a player. I'm finding freedom in my swinging.