Former US Open champion Emma Raducanu was forced to cower behind the umpire’s chair while a man, who had “exhibited fixated behavior” earlier in the week, was ejected from the crowd during her clash with Karolina Muchova in Dubai.
Raducanu spoke to the umpire two games into the match and was visibly upset as the official phoned security to request the man’s removal from the side of the court.
The man was ejected and the WTA later announced he would be banned from all WTA events pending a “threat assessment”.
Esto pone la carne de gallina.
Emma Raducanu rompe a llorar en el tercer juego del partido y corre a esconderse detrás de la silla del umpire.
No ha trascendido el porqué. Rumores hay muchos, pero debe ser algo preocupante 😓 pic.twitter.com/yJ5mhJDNdV
— José Morón (@jmgmoron) February 18, 2025
WTA explanation
A statement from the women’s game’s governing body read: “On Monday, February 17, Emma Raducanu was approached in a public area by a man who exhibited fixated behavior.
“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 WTA is actively working with Emma and her team to ensure her well-being and provide any necessary support. We remain committed to collaborating with tournaments and their security teams worldwide to maintain a safe environment for all players.”
After the man was removed, Raducanu played on and fought hard before going down 7-6 (8-6) 6-4 to the 14th seed.
It is not the first time the 22-year-old has suffered from an incident of this nature. In 2022, Amrit Magar was handed a five-year restraining order after walking 23 miles across London to Raducanu’s house.
