Raducanu Faces Threat from Fan Showing Obsessive Behavior
Image source: Sky Sports
Emma Raducanu alerted umpire Miriam Bley to the man in the crowd.
Published on February 19, 2025, Emma Raducanu expressed that she would be okay following a “difficult experience” where she was targeted by a man exhibiting fixated behavior during the Dubai Tennis Championships. The incident occurred two games into her second-round match against Karolina Muchova.
An emotional Raducanu was observed hiding behind the umpire’s chair as much of her attention shifted to addressing an uncomfortable situation in the crowd. The Womens Tennis Association (WTA) confirmed that the 22-year-old had been approached by a man with concerning behavior on Monday, and this same individual was seen sitting in the first few rows during Emma’s match on Tuesday.
Raducanu promptly alerted chair umpire Miriam Bley to the situation. Her opponent, Karolina Muchova, provided comfort to Raducanu as security personnel removed the problematic individual from the court after three warnings were issued.
The following day, March 19th was corrected here, Emma took to Instagram: “Thank you for all the messages of support. It was a difficult experience yesterday but I’m okay and proud that I stayed strong and competed despite what happened at the start of my match. Thank you to Karolina for being such a great sport and best of luck with the rest of her tournament.”
Raducanu returned to the court following the incident, receiving an outpouring of applause from fans who were deeply moved by what had transpired earlier. Despite this adversity, she continued playing but ultimately lost in straight sets (7-6 [8-6], 6-4) against Muchova.
The man was subsequently ejected from the stadium and banned from all WTA events “pending a threat assessment.” It is understood that Raducanu has since left Dubai to focus on her recovery and safety.
In 2022, there had been another concerning incident involving Emma when a man walked over 23 miles to reach her London home. This individual was subsequently given a five-year restraining order for his actions.
The WTA emphasized the importance of player safety: “Player safety is our top priority,” they stated. “Tournaments are advised on security best practices for international sporting events.” The organization noted that they were actively working with Emma and her team to ensure her well-being and provide any necessary support, remaining committed to maintaining a safe environment worldwide.
The Dubai Tennis Championships echoed this stance: We fully supported the WTAs statement, tournament organizers said. “The collaboration between our security team and the WTA’s security team resulted in proactively identifying and immediately removing the individual from the stadium. We support the WTA decision to ban him from all WTA events, sharing a longstanding commitment to player welfare, safety, and wellbeing.”
Meanwhile, British governing body Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) acknowledged contact with Raducanu and her team in Dubai: “This incident once again highlights issues around safety that players of any gender can face,” said the LTA. “We have strong processes already in place for dealing robustly with such situations alongside police and security providers.”
Related topics include tennis, safety concerns in sports events, player wellbeing policies.
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Published: January 31st (Corrected here)
