A man who ‘exhibited fixated behaviour’ towards Emma Raducanu was detained and given a restraining order, Dubai Police have said.
The 2021 US Open champion was visibly emotional during her second round clash at the Dubai Tennis Championship on Tuesday evening as the man was ejected from courtside.
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Raducanu wiped away tears during her clash with MuchovaCredit: Sky Sports Tennis
Raducanu, who lost 6-7, 4-6 to Muchova, was first approached by the man in public on Monday following her first round victory.
The clearly-upset Brit approached the umpire’s chair two games into her clash with Muchova and appeared to hide behind it, while her opponent came over for support.
The man gave her a letter and took a photograph in a public area close to the tournament on Monday.
Dubai Police revealed that the man was subsequently detained and Raducanu decided not to press charges.
“Following Raducanu’s complaint, Dubai Police detained a tourist who approached her, left her a note, took her photograph, and engaged in behaviour that caused her distress,” Dubai police said.
“While Raducanu later chose to drop the charges, the individual signed a formal undertaking to maintain distance from her and has been banned from future tournaments.”
On Wednesday, Raducanu opened up about the ordeal to her 2.5 million Instagram followers.
Taking to her Instagram story, she said: “Thank you for the messages of support.
“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.
“Thank you to Karolina for being a great sport and best of luck to her for the rest of the tournament.”
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The Brit was visibly emotional as events in Dubai unfoldedCredit: Sky Sports Tennis
Initially explaining the situation, a WTA statement read: “On Monday, February 17, Emma Raducanu was approached in a public area by a man who exhibited fixated behaviour.
“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.”
The Dubai Tennis Championships also commented on the incident, fully supporting the WTA’s statement.
The tournament organisers said: “The tournament security team worked in collaboration with the WTA security team to proactively identify and immediately eject the individual in question from the stadium.
“We support the WTA’s decision to ban the individual in question from all WTA events, and share the tour’s longstanding commitment to player welfare, safety and wellbeing.
“We thank Emma for her contribution to this year’s tournament and look forward to welcoming her back next year.”
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Raducanu rallied back to force an opening set tie break but ultimately exited the tournamentCredit: Sky Sports Tennis
British governing body the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) have also said they have been in contact with Raducanu and her team.
The LTA said: “This incident once again highlights issues around safety that all players, but female players in particular, can face.
“The tours have strong processes in place already and we will continue to work together along with police and security providers to deal with situations like this robustly.”
Raducanu was given a warm reception from fans as the match resumed, but ultimately crashed out in straight sets.
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The incident comes years after the 22-year-old was targeted by a stalker.
Married man Amrit Magar was convicted of stalking at Bromley Magistrates Court after tracking down Raducanu’s address, visiting her home three times, stealing items and leaving notes.
Speaking in January 2022, Raducanu said: “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.”
Magar was given a five-year restraining order and an 18-month community sentence.
Raducanu had progressed to the second round of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships by beating Maria Sakkari in straight sets on Sunday.
That victory ended the Brit’s worst losing run of her career after four consecutive defeats.
Raducanu had been handed a wildcard to appear at the event, which is being held at the Aviation Club Tennis Centre in the United Arab Emirates.
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Raducanu is looking to shoot up the rankings with the Brit currently World No. 56Credit: Getty
It is her latest tournament in what is shaping up to be a busy 2025 for Raducanu.
She will join British no.1 Katie Boulter in an historic women’s event at Queen’s Club in June.
The tournament will be the first women’s competition to be held at the venue since 1973.
Fellow Grand Slam champions Madison Keys and Naomi Osaka are also expected to appear.
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Publish date : 2025-02-20 19:25:00
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