EMMA RADUCANU has spoken out for the first time after being targeted by a man “exhibiting fixated behaviour” at the Dubai Tennis Championships on Tuesday.
The 22-year-old broke down in tears during her second round match against Karolina Muchova after spotting the man in the crowd.
Clearly in distress, she then walked behind the umpire’s chair while the person was ejected.
After being comforted by Muchova, Raducanu returned to her seat before eventually resuming the match.
The Brit went on to lose 7-6, 6-4 on Court 2.
A statement from the WTA subsequently confirmed that the individual had been banned from future events.
It was also revealed that Raducanu had received a letter from the same man at her hotel the previous day.
The former US Open winner has since issued a message on social media regarding the incident, thanking fans for their support.
The 22-year-old took to Instagram to write: “Thank you for the messages of support.
“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.”
WTA representatives have been in contact with Raducanu and her team following the incident.
The issue with the Dubai Tennis Championships, according to the uncle of British tennis star Dan Evans who lives in the UAE, is the “stadium is located in a public area”.
James Evans says “the outside courts are still non-ticketed, making them more accessible than the centre court”.
Tennis bosses in the UK have vowed to do everything they can to ensure there is no repeat for Raducanu on home soil in June or July.
A spokesperson for the All England Club said: “Maintaining a safe environment for players is a top priority for the All England Club.
“We are aware there are a number of fixated individuals who follow players around the world.
“And we work closely with the Metropolitan Police Service, WTA and ATP, and experts in fixated risk management to ensure the players are protected at all times when in the All England Club grounds.”
Raducanu is set to play at the Indian Wells and Miami Opens in March and then represent her country in Billie Jean King Cup action in Holland in April.
A LTA spokesperson said: “This incident once again highlights issues around safety that all players, but female players in particular, can face.
“We have support available for British players and have been in contact with Emma and her team following the events in Dubai.
“We have extensive security arrangements at our events in Britain and keep these under constant review.
“The tours have strong processes in place already and we will continue to work together along with police and security providers to deal with situations like this robustly.”
In February 2022, a London court issued a five-year restraining order against a man who stalked the British tennis star, including making several visits to her home.
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