Emma Raducanu recently opened up about a distressing incident during a tournament, where she was so overcome that she “couldn’t see the ball through tears” and had difficulty breathing. This emotional episode happened when she noticed a man in the stands who seemed to be fixated on her during her match.
This unsettling experience for the 2021 US Open champion occurred during last month’s Dubai Championships. The same individual had approached her twice before during the tournament and had also been present at her matches in Singapore, Abu Dhabi, and Doha in previous weeks. During her second-round match against Karolina Muchova, Raducanu spoke to the chair umpire, leading to the man being escorted out of the arena. He was subsequently detained by Dubai police and agreed to keep his distance from Raducanu after signing a document to that effect. The WTA described his actions as “exhibited fixated behavior.”
Reflecting on the incident at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, her first tournament since Dubai, Raducanu shared with British reporters, “I was obviously very distraught. I noticed him in the first game and thought, ‘I don’t know how I’m going to finish this.’ I literally couldn’t see the ball through tears and could hardly breathe. I had to just pause and collect myself.”
Despite the emotional turmoil, Raducanu managed to continue the match after the man’s removal, although she eventually lost 7-6, 6-4. She later admitted, “It was a very emotional time. After the match, I broke down in tears, but it wasn’t just about losing.”
Deciding against pressing charges, Raducanu chose to drop the case, although the man has been banned from attending all WTA events. Speaking to the BBC, Raducanu acknowledged that while she believed the situation “could have been handled better,” necessary security enhancements have since been implemented. “I’m much more cautious now. I make sure I’m not alone and always have someone with me. It’s become a new norm for me,” she told the BBC.
Previously, in 2022, Raducanu dealt with another troubling encounter when a fan with an unhealthy obsession was handed a restraining order after visiting her home three times.
Next up for Raducanu is a match against Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima in the first round in California on Thursday. Uchijima holds a slightly higher rank, positioned three spots above her at 52nd in the global standings. Whoever succeeds will then face third-seeded Coco Gauff, given that the top 32 players have received byes to the second round.
This report includes contributions from The Associated Press and Reuters.
