UPDATE
Feb 20, 2025 1:55 PM CST
Police in Dubai released more details Thursday about a spectator who scared tennis player Emma Raducanu. The unidentified man "approached her, left her a note, took her photograph, and engaged in behaviour that caused her distress," says a police statement, per the New York Times. When Raducanu saw the man in the stands during her match at the Dubai Tennis Championships, she broke into tears, and the man was ejected as play was stopped. "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," says the statement.
Feb 19, 2025 11:15 AM CST
Tennis matches sometimes end in tears. But the waterworks don't usually come soon after the start, as in Emma Raducanu's second-round match at the Dubai Tennis Championships on Tuesday. The 22-year-old Brit broke down crying and walked behind the umpire's chair after the second game—and not because she was down 2-0 against Czech player Karolina Muchova. In the first few rows of stands, Raducanu had spotted a so-called fan who'd approached her in a public area on Monday, per NBC News. The Women's Tennis Association said he'd exhibited "fixated behavior" and would be banned from future WTA events "pending a threat assessment."
Raducanu, the 2021 US Open champion, previously spoke about fearing for her safety and "constantly looking over my shoulder" after a stalker repeatedly showed up at her home, leaving unwanted notes and gifts. He was convicted in the UK in 2022 and received a five-year restraining order. The WTA said "player safety is our top priority" and it is "actively working with Emma and her team to ensure her well-being and provide any necessary support." Raducanu, who broke a four-match losing streak in the tournament's first round with a straight-set win over Greece's Maria Sakkari, ended up losing the match to Muchova, 7-6 (8-6) 6-4, per the BBC. (More Emma Raducanu stories.)
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