British tennis star Emma Raducanu was left in tears during her second-round match at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on Feb. 18 after spotting a man in the crowd who had previously approached her in a public area.
According to the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), the man displayed “fixated behavior” and was seated in the first few rows during Raducanu’s match against Karolina Muchová. He was ejected from the venue and will be banned from all WTA events pending a threat assessment.
Footage from Sky News and The Telegraph captured the moment Raducanu became visibly distressed, walking to the umpire’s chair to report the issue. Muchová, showing concern, checked on Raducanu before the British star returned to the court. Despite her resilience, Raducanu lost the match 7-6 (8-6), 6-4.
The WTA issued a statement, emphasizing that player safety is a top priority and that they are working with Raducanu and her team to provide support. Raducanu later addressed the incident on social media, thanking fans for their support and praising Muchová for her sportsmanship.
Raducanu, the 2021 US Open champion, made history as the first British woman to win a Grand Slam since 1977. She has faced multiple challenges since her breakthrough but remains committed to competing at the highest level.
