Karolina Muchova experienced an emotional interruption during her US Open campaign when she unexpectedly saw her former partner in the stands as the Czech tennis player was left shaken.
Currently ranked world No. 13, the European admitted that the incident left her shaken and struggling to continue her match as the scene unfolded on Thursday, August 28 when Muchova was trailing Sorana Cirstea 1-4 in the opening set.
While preparing to serve, she suddenly froze, looked toward the crowd, and then reached for a towel to cover her face as tears began to fall.
After a brief pause, she apologized to the chair umpire before resuming play and she later expanded on the incident.
“Well … it wasn’t tennis-related,” Muchova later told reporters in Czech during her post-match press conference. “Opposite my bench, my ex-boyfriend sat down.
“He sometimes shows up at places where he shouldn’t be. That startled me a bit. I told him to leave, he didn’t, but later he did go. It was hard to focus in that moment.”
Despite the disruption, the 28-year-old regained composure and went on to win the match.
Tournament policies allow competitors to restrict specific individuals from obtaining tickets or credentials, but Muchova confirmed she has not submitted such a request and she ultimately appeared determined to move forward after the unsettling moment.
Following her third-round victory over fellow Czech Linda Noskova two days later, she said:
“Yeah, I’m alright. I didn’t make any report, and everything is good,” Muchova said, although she didn’t rule out the prospect of a similar incident happening again in the future.
The situation has highlighted ongoing concerns about player safety in professional tennis, although the US Tennis Association emphasized the seriousness with which it treats such matters.
“Player safety is a critical element of our planning and execution for the US Open,” the USTA said, adding that it works with both federal and local law enforcement to ensure the security of athletes, monitoring threats in person and online.
A pattern of harassment for WTA women: How far does it escalate?
Worryingly, Muchova‘s experience is not isolated as in July, Britain’s Emma Raducanu broke down during a Wimbledon match after recognizing a man who had previously harassed her in Dubai.
He had been issued a restraining order but still managed to obtain a ticket for the championships and Raducanu, who was playing against Muchova that day, admitted afterward that she “couldn’t see the ball through tears” and “could barely breathe.”
The All England Club later banned the individual from its ticket ballot before things managed to get worse. For example, in 1993, Monica Seles was stabbed in the back by a fan during a match in Hamburg.
It was an attack that ended her dominance at the top of the game whilst Serena Williams has also faced persistent harassment.
Back In 2011, a man who claimed to be her “husband” (she was not married at the time) was arrested after attempting to gain access to her Florida home, leading to tighter security protocols.
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