IGA SWIATEK was dumped out of the Miami Open by the world No.140 – days after being threatened by a fan.
Security was beefed up for the tennis world No.1 after a spectator was reported for abusing her during a practice session last Sunday in Florida.
GettyIga Swiatek was threatened by a fan during a practice session at the Miami Open[/caption]
GettyThe world No.1 was knocked out of the tournament by Alexandra Eala on Tuesday[/caption]
RedditFootage on social media showed a man harassing Swiatek from the stands during a training session[/caption]
The individual – who allegedly has a history of online attacks against the 23-year-old Pole – was caught on camera verbally abusing her.
And then on Wednesday, the five-time Grand Slam champion, 23, ended up losing 6-2 7-5 to unseeded Alexandra Eala from the Philippines in the quarter-finals.
It is the greatest week in the career of Eala, a 19-year-old wildcard, who is breaking new ground for her country.
There is heightened scrutiny on player safety in tennis after Emma Raducanu was left in tears last month when she was targeted by a stalker at the Dubai Tennis Championships.
Tournament organisers for the Miami Open said: “We take the safety and security of all players and tournament attendees extremely seriously.
“We constantly evaluate any potential threats and take every measure to respond appropriately.
“To ensure the effectiveness of these efforts, we do not disclose the details of our security operations.”
A spokesperson for Swiatek’s team said: “Security is a top priority.
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“We monitor the network to catch these types of issues.
“Constructive criticism is one thing and threats, hate speech or even disturbance during training is another – this cannot be condoned.
“We reported the matter to the tournament organiser, as well as to the WTA, which reacted immediately and took additional precautions, such as additional security, for which we are very grateful.”
ReutersEmma Raducanu went through a stalker ordeal at the Dubai Open, resulting in heightened security for players[/caption]
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