TOURNAMENT chiefs were hunting for the “fixated” man who scared Emma Raducanu but he managed to evade security and sneak into her match.
The tennis ace was left in tears after the man snuck into the court crowd at the Dubai Tennis Championships.
YouTubeEmma Raducanu was distressed by the incident at the Dubai Tennis Championships[/caption]
YoutubeAfter two games, she was seen speaking with the umpire[/caption]
GettyKarolina Muchova offered her support to Raducanu[/caption]
Raducanu, 22, was first approached by the individual outside the tournament perimeter on Monday.
The WTA and tournament’s security teams were notified of the incident on Tuesday afternoon.
Desperate efforts were then made before Raducanu’s match against Karolina Muchova to find out who the man was.
As a result, the WTA provided enhanced security for the Brit, with the “fixated” man being deemed a credible threat.
Raducanu received dedicated security who escorted her to and from the court.
They also remained courtside while she was beaten by the Czech ace in the round of 32.
Raducanu spotted the man in the crowd sitting in the first set of rows after losing the first two games of the match.
The US Open winner notified the umpire and hid behind the official’s chair as the man was ejected.
Muchova also went over to offer support to Raducanu, who was visibly upset and wiped tears away with a towel.
The Brit thanked her opponent after breaking her silence on the incident.
She wrote on Instagram: “Thank you for the messages of support.
WTA Statement
The WTA released a statement following the incident…
It read: “On Monday, February 17, Emma Raducanu was approached in a public area by a man who exhibited fixated behaviour.
“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.”
“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.”
She was able to compose herself and continue playing and force a competitive match.
However, she would ultimately lose the match 7-6 6-4.
Raducanu had previously insisted that she was “really enjoying” her time in Dubai.
She won her first-round clash against Maria Sakkari with a solid display of 6-4 6-2.
The victory saw the 2021 US Open champion break her four-match losing streak.
Meanwhile, Muchova, 28, also spoke about the incident with Raducanu.
The world No.17 said: “It was strange situation.
“I honestly went to serve, I didn’t even know something was happening.
“Then I saw she’s not on the other side. So I went to check with the referee and she told me what is happening.
“Obviously, you don’t want to see these things happening to anyone, to any woman. So I was just trying to be there, maybe calm her down a little bit.
“I’m happy they solved it pretty fast. I think she was fine after a while and we just kept going with the match.”
Raducanu’s stalker hell
In January 2022, Raducanu revealed that she had been targeted by a stalker.
She admitted that the person stole her dad’s shoe and left bizarre notes and gifts.
Married Amrit Magar, 35, was later convicted of stalking at Bromley Magistrates Court.
Raducanu told cops at the time: “Because of this I feel like my freedom has been taken away from me.
“I am constantly looking over my shoulder.
“I feel on edge and worried this could happen again. I don’t feel safe in my own home which is where I should feel safest.”
Magar was subsequently handed a five-year restraining order, in addition to an 18-month community order.
Paul EdwardsAmrit Magar, 35, was convicted of stalking Raducanu in 2022[/caption]
GettyRaducanun was unable to beat Karolina Muchova[/caption] Creator – [#item_custom_dc:creator]
