Nearly 20% of women will encounter stalking at some point in their lives, according to data from the UK’s Office of National Statistics. If you’re someone in the public eye, that risk shoots up, and unfortunately, a number of female tennis players have found themselves on the receiving end of this unsettling behavior in recent times.
Take Emma Raducanu, for instance. At just 22, she’s already had to deal with a stalker. In one particularly chilling incident in 2022, a man walked 23 miles to reach her home, resulting in a five-year restraining order against him.
Then there’s Katie Boulter, another British player who shared her own frightening experiences with the Guardian. She talked about being followed persistently, whether she was on foot or driving. And it’s not just happening in the UK. American tennis stars Danielle Collins and Sloane Stephens have been vocal about the harassment they’ve experienced as well.
This problem isn’t limited to tennis. Just last month, charges were brought against a man for stalking Caitlin Clark, an American basketball talent. High-profile athletes like sprinter Gabby Thomas and rugby player Ilona Maher have also opened up about their concerns.
Former tennis player Marion Bartoli had a horrifying experience herself. Back in 2007, during a tournament at the All England Club, she was stalked throughout the entire British grass-court season. The stalker managed to follow her to Birmingham and Eastbourne, and even went so far as to disguise himself as a member of the Wimbledon ground staff to get closer to her. Bartoli remembers spotting him during a match with Flavia Pennetta and immediately alerting officials. She insisted, “He’s not a groundsperson. He doesn’t work here. This is the person who’s been following me for weeks.”
Discussing the broader issue, Stephanie Hilborne, leading the charity Women in Sport, told BBC Sport that every woman, regardless of her public visibility, harbors some level of fear about stalking. However, she pointed out that the more visible a woman is, the higher the risk seems and actually becomes. In sports, where athletes are under constant scrutiny and their physical presence is a core part of their public work, this threat can feel even more precarious.
