By Richard Pagliaro | @TennisNow | Wednesday, February 19, 2025
Emma Raducanu found herself in tears during a challenging moment fueled by fear.
In an emotional second-round match against Karolina Muchova in Dubai, Raducanu was visibly shaken and halted the play after noticing a stalker in the audience.
Raducanu briefly consulted with the chair umpire, tears streaming down her face as she sought refuge behind the umpire’s chair.
The incident was surreal as Muchova stepped in to comfort the 22-year-old before the match resumed, where she ultimately lost 7-6(6), 6-4.
In light of the situation, the WTA confirmed that a male spectator, who displayed “fixated behavior” toward Raducanu, was promptly ejected and banned from all WTA events pending an assessment of the threat.
WTA’s statement regarding the incident at Dubai:On Monday, February 17, Emma Raducanu was approached in a public area by a man exhibiting problematic behavior. This individual was later identified in the crowd during Emma’s match on Tuesday at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships…
— wta (@WTA) February 19, 2025
“On Monday, Emma Raducanu was approached in a public space by an individual demonstrating fixated behavior,” noted the WTA in its statement. “This person was later recognized in the front rows during Emma’s match and was subsequently removed from the venue.
“He is now banned from all WTA events while an assessment of any potential threats is conducted.
“The WTA is in active communication with Emma and her team to ensure her safety and support. Our commitment extends to working closely with tournament security worldwide to uphold a secure environment for all players.”
It’s easy to empathize with Raducanu’s emotional distress upon seeing the individual whom she deemed a threat.
Check out the footage capturing Raducanu’s poignant moment following the second game:
here is the situation 🙁 https://t.co/z4Vl23j9DL pic.twitter.com/2C4K2oAEgC
— Lisa 🧚🏻♀️ (@lisa_talking) February 18, 2025
Despite the unsettling incident, Raducanu demonstrated remarkable resilience, regaining her composure and challenging the 14th-seeded Muchova fiercely through two nail-biting sets.
