Emma Raducanu says she will be okay after what can only be described as a troubling scene at the Dubai Tennis Championships.
According to the Daily Mail, the 22-year-old British athlete was approached by a man at her hotel and given a letter the day before her match with Czechia’s Carolina Muchova.
On Tuesday, Raducanu could be seen hiding behind the umpires’ chair two games into the second-round match after she spotted the same individual in the first few row of the stands.
Muchova went to console Raducanu, who at this point was wiping tears from her face as the individual was removed from the venue.
In a statement released by the WTA, the organization stated the 2021 U.S. Open champion, had been “approached in a public area by a man who exhibited fixated behavior”.
The statement also added that “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,” the statement read.
“We remain committed to collaborating with tournaments and their security teams worldwide to maintain a safe environment for all players.”
While the man’s identity has not been revealed, the Daily Mail states he is not a British national.
Raducanu’s response
Raducanu took to Instagram to discuss the ordeal on Wednesday. In her statement, she thanked fans for their messages of support.
“Thank you for the messages of support,” she wrote.
“Difficult experience yesterday but I’ll be okay and proud of how I came back and competed despite what happened at the start of the match.
“Thank you to Karolina for being a great sport and best of luck to her for the rest of the tournament.”
Back in 2022, a man walked 23 miles to the London home of Raducanu. The man in question, Amrit Magar, was later handed a five-year restraining order.
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