The WTA has banned a man who harassed British player Emma Raducanu at the Dubai tournament from attending any of its tournaments and is committed to “ensuring the welfare” and “providing full support” to the tennis player and her team. “On Monday, February 17, Emma Raducanu was approached in a public area by a man who exhibited obsessive behaviour,” the players’ association said on Wednesday.
“The same individual was identified in the front row during Emma’s match on Tuesday and was subsequently removed,” the WTA added.In that match, Raducanu was very upset. After losing the first two games, she approached the chair umpire to tell her what was happening and began to cry. She then stood behind the chair until the spectator was removed from the court.
Raducanu lost that match to Czech Karolina Muchova 7-6 (8) 6-4. The stalker “will be banned from all WTA events pending a threat assessment”.
“The safety of the players is our top priority and we advise tournaments on best practices at international sporting events,” the WTA added, adding that it “is actively working with Emma and her team to ensure her well-being and provide her with all the necessary support. We remain committed to working with tournaments and their security teams around the world to maintain a safe environment for all players,” the association stressed.
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