The Brit is here, and she plans on succeeding.

The newest addition to the ASU women’s tennis team, freshman Hannah James, has settled in and is getting accustomed to her new desert home.

James was Great Britain’s former No. 1-ranked player under 14 years old in 2005 and was the top ranked player in her age group from 2003-2006.

She is now a Sun Devil and has created her own opinions of Arizona culture.

The State Press: You are at Arizona State now, have you been to Arizona before?

Hannah James: Never, I like it here, though. It’s completely different than England. Palm trees everywhere and there are no clouds in the sky.

SP: Explain your first impression of Arizona or something that maybe caught you off guard.

HJ: The hills and the mountains; I never ever see those and also [cacti]. I have a cactus in my bedroom.

SP: Have you hiked one of the mountains yet?

HJ: [Laughing] Nope, I haven’t. I want to, though.

SP: Explain the first time you got real Mexican food.

HJ: I went to [a restaurant] with my dad on his last night when he left and it was just down the road from the tennis center. It was 10 dollars for the biggest dish I’ve ever had in my life. I ordered a burrito and we had quesadillas and stuff like that. It was just perfect. It’s different because this is where they make it and it’s good, but in England when they try to attempt to do it, it’s not that good.

SP: Are you going to miss any foods?

HJ: I will miss English roast dinner that we have every week and I will obviously miss my mom’s cooking.

SP: Do people bring up your accent a lot?

HJ: Yeah, I think it was my second night here and I went out with one of the girls on the team’s friends and I said one thing and before he said anything he said ‘Oh my god your accent is so cool.’ That’s what I get every time.

SP: You came here while the weather was cool. Do you have any idea what you are going to experience in May?

HJ: I have absolutely no idea whatsoever. I think about it now and think ‘Oh my God I have to get ice packs on the court.’

SP: OK, about tennis, you were the number one ranked player for three years. How does all that experience help you out here or is it a different style of play?

HJ: It’s completely different. I started when I was 13 doing these ITFs (International Tennis Federation). For five and a half years doing my individual sport on my own. The girls on the side of the court, everyone knows it, but they want you to lose. Here everyone wants everyone to win and it’s completely different. It’s taken me a long time to adjust. I’ll get used to it but I love it.

SP: All right last question, is there anything people said to you before you left?

HJ: Hold on to your accent [Laughing]. That’s the best thing everyone said. They said ‘don’t get sucked into slurring your words.

SP: We do not slur our words.

HJ: [Laughing] To us it sounds like it but when you speak it’s probably nothing like that. They said to just be yourself and enjoy the four years of being here.

Reach the reporter at nathan.meacham@asu.edu