Emma Raducanu in tears as she spots man ‘fixated’ with her in crowd at Dubai clash
Emma Raducanu was left in tears after she was approached by a “man who exhibited fixated behaviour” ahead of her match against Karolina Muchova in Dubai.
Raducanu was seen wiping away tears with a towel before speaking with the umpire at the side of the court during a break in play and Muchova went over to check on the Brit before the match resumed.
The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) have now released a statement, revealing the man was ejected from the stands and banned after he was seen watching Raducanu’s match against Muchova.
“On Monday, February 17, Emma Raducanu was approached in a public area by a man who exhibited fixated behaviour,” they said. “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.
“He will be banned from all WTA events pending a threat assessment. 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.”
Raducanu continued playing after the man was ejected, but was ultimately beaten 7-6 (8-6) 6-4 by Muchova. Back in 2022, a man was given a five-year restraining order after he was found guilty of stalking Raducanu.
In a statement read out in court, Raducanu said the incident had left “constantly looking over my shoulder”. She said: “Since all this has happened, I have felt creeped out. I feel very apprehensive if I go out, especially if I am on my own.
“Because of this I feel like my freedom has been taken away from me. I am constantly looking over my shoulder. I feel on edge and worried this could happen again. I don’t feel safe in my own home which is where I should feel safest.”
Raducanu memorably won the US Open back in 2021, becoming the first qualifier to ever win a Grand Slam in the Open era and the first British female Grand Slam winner since Virginia Wade’s triumph at Wimbledon in 1977.
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