Emma Raducanu became visibly distressed while competing in the Dubai Tennis Championships, and not because of the game.
The British athlete suddenly broke down in tears during her Feb. 18 match against Czech player Karolína Muchová and ultimately had to take a break. However, the Women’s Tennis Association later revealed the reaction stemmed from a “security incident” involving a spectator Raducanu had encountered the previous day.
“On Monday, February 17, Emma Raducanu was approached in a public area by a man who exhibited fixated behavior,” the group said in a statement on X, formerly Twitter. “This same individual was identified in the first few rows during Emma’s match on Tuesday at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships and subsequently ejected.”
The organization said the man, who was not identified, “will be banned from all WTA events pending a threat assessment.”
The WTA added, “Player safety is our top priority, and tournaments are advised on security best practices for international sporting events. The WTA is actively working with Emma and her team to ensure her well-being and provide any necessary support. We remain committed to collaborating with tournaments and their security teams worldwide to maintain a safe environment for all players.”
We remain committed to collaborating with tournaments and their security teams worldwide to maintain a safe environment for all players.”
The event took place more than two years after a man was found guilty of stalking Raducanu after showing up to her home on three separate occasions and leaving unwanted gifts and flowers, NBC News reported. He was given a five-year restraining order, barring him from contacting her or her parents.
Raducanu, who ultimately lost the Dubai match 7-6(6), 6-4, later shared a statement on social media. “Thank you for the messages of support,” she wrote on her Instagram Stories. “Difficult experience yesterday but I’ll be okay and proud of how I came back and competed despite what happened at the start of the match.”
The 22-year-old continued, “Thank you to Karolina for being a great sport and best of the luck to her for the rest of the tournament.”
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