The WTA has released a statement confirming that Emma Raducanu was targeted by a man ‘who exhibited fixated behaviour’ during her second-round match against Karolina Muchova at the Dubai Open in an incident which left her in tears.
The former British No1 became agitated in the first set of her match-up on Tuesday night, and 2-0 down against Muchova, was seen crying and wiping her face with a towel during the break in play.
In distressing scenes, Raducanu spoke with the umpire and then appeared to hide behind the umpire’s chair, later being comforted by her opponent.
After a brief break, the former US Open champion returned the court and resumed the match, going on to lose in straight sets to the No14 seed, 7-6 (6-8), 6-4.
But in a concerning statement, the WTA shared that the incident had been triggered by a man watching from the stands.
‘On Monday, February 17, Emma Raducanu was approached in a public area by a man who exhibited fixated behavior,’ the statement read, confirming the man’s presence during Raducanu’s first-round victory over Maria Sakkari.
Emma Raducanu was left distressed and in tears after she was repeatedly approached by a man at the Dubai Open
The former British No1 communicated with the umpire after she appeared to notice someone watching the match
As Raducanu sheltered behind the umpire’s chair, her opponent Karoline Muchova made her way over to comfort her
‘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.’
In 2022, Raducanu saw a five-year restraining order handed down to Amrit Magar, 35, who visited her home three times in the wake of her historic 2021 US Open run.
Ex-Amazon delivery driver Magar loitered outside, left unwanted gifts and cards and stole property from the porch, and was subsequently arrested after her father Ian was alerted to his presence by the doorbell camera at their family home.
Magar also left notes for the then-19-year-old, claiming that he had walked 23 miles to her house and that she ‘deserved love’.
Raducanu told that court that Magar’s presence had left her feeling unsafe in her own home and ‘constantly looking over her shoulder’ amid the ordeal.
‘Since all this has happened, I have felt creeped out. I feel very apprehensive if I go out, especially if I am on my own,’ Raducanu shared in a prepared statement at the time.
The player fought on and returned to see out the match but was unable to battle back after losing the first set
Amrit Magar, 35, was handed a five-year restraining order and sentenced to an 18-month community order in 2022
Magar first visited the Raducanu family home in November 2021 with a bouquet of flowers and a note, but said he was a delivery driver dropping off gifts from somebody else
‘Because of this I feel like my freedom has been taken away from me. I am constantly looking over my shoulder. I feel on edge and worried this could happen again. I don’t feel safe in my own home which is where I should feel safest.’
As well as the restraining order, Magar was sentenced to an 18-month community order, including 200 hours of unpaid work and an eight-week curfew between 9pm and 6am monitored by an electronic tag.
But just a year later, the 35-year-old attempted revoke his community order due to medical reasons.
Raducanu’s second-round loss to Muchova came as the player was keen to build a significant run during the Middle East swing after two disappointing first-round exits.
The player received wild card entry to both the Abu Dhabi Open and the Qatar open, but was knocked out in straight sets by former Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrusova and Australian Open opponent Ekaterina Alexandrova respectively.