British tennis star Emma Raducanu became emotionally upset while talking to an umpire during her match at the Dubai Championships on Monday after a fan “exhibited fixated behavior.”
Raducanu, visibly upset and afraid, stood behind the umpire’s chair during her second-round match against Karolina Muchova. Raducanu eventually lost the match in straight sets.
On Wednesday, the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) released a statement explaining the incident.
“Emma Raducanu was approached in a public area by a man who exhibited fixated behavior,” the WTA 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.”
This is not the youthful tennis phenom’s first brush with a deranged person. In 2022, a man in Britain was convicted of stalking her at her family home in 2021 while she was still a teenager.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
