THE “fixated” man that targeted Emma Raducanu has been detained and slapped with a restraining order.
The tennis star, 22, began to cry before hiding behind the umpire’s chair in fear after spotting a fan in the crowd while on court at the Dubai Open.
YouTubeEmma Raducanu broke down in tears on court after spotting the man in the crowd[/caption]
She was comforted by opponent Karolina Muchova before bravely battling on following the man’s removal from the stadium to lose 7-6 6-4 on Tuesday.
The horror incident occurred a day after Raducanu received a letter from him outside the tournament perimeter.
He has now been detained by police, hit with a restraining order and banned from attending WTA events.
The Dubai Media Office confirmed in a statement: “Dubai authorities have taken swift action to address an incident involving British tennis star Emma Raducanu, in accordance with local legal protocols.
“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 during the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
“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.
“Dubai remains committed to ensuring the safety and security of all residents and visitors to the emirate.”
The man is reportedly from the UK but his exact identity remains a mystery.
Efforts were made to identify the man before Raducanu’s match but they were unsuccessful.
The 2021 US Open champion released a statement on the shocking incident yesterday, saying: “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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