Emma Raducanu was left feeling unsafe in her own home(Image: Marleen Fouchier/Getty Images)
British tennis star Emma Raducanu has been subjected to terrifying stalking incidents, including one that took place during a match in Dubai and the stalker later being blocked from buying Wimbledon tickets
British tennis star Emma Raducanu has endured a string of terrifying stalking incidents during her career, and it’s left her feeling weary of leaving her home.
At just 22 years old, Raducanu has already reached a world number 10 ranking and is the current women’s British number one. She was the 2021 US Open champion and became the first British woman to win a singles match during the tournament since 1977.
She returned to Wimbledon this year after missing the 2024 competiton because of the birth of her son, but her journey was cut short after being knocked out of the third round last Friday by the current world number one for ladies’ singles, Aryna Sabalenka.
During a match at the Dubai Tennis Championships in February this year, Raducanu was visibly distressed during her second-round against Karolina Muchova. So much so that she was left seeking refuge in tears behind the umpire’s chair after spotting a man in the audience who had reportedly approached her earlier in the tournament.
Following the incident, the WTA issued a statement detailing the distressing incident: “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 Dubai incident was the fourth consecutive event after Singapore, Abu Dhabi, and Doha, during which the individual had been present during Raducanu’s matches. The day before the incident in Dubai, he even confronted her in a café.
Raducanu bravely spoke out about her ordeal earlier this year. “It was difficult,” she told BBC Sport. “It was emphasised by the fact I didn’t necessarily feel certain or comfortable in my own set-up and team so it just added to the anxious feeling.
“I’m obviously wary when I go out. I try not to be careless about it because you only realise how much of a problem it is when you’re in that situation and I don’t necessarily want to be in that situation again.
“Off the court right now, I feel good, I feel pretty settled. I feel like I have good people around me and anything that was negative, I kind of brush it off as much as I can.”
