KAROLINA Muchova says the reason she became emotional and briefly halted her US Open second-round match was because she spotted an ex-boyfriend in the crowd.
The former French Open finalist’s 7-6 6-7 6-4 win over Romanian Sorana Cirstea last week was overshadowed by the presence of a former lover “opposite my bench”.
The Czech No.11 seed was serving a 4-1 down in the first set when she stopped play and gestured towards the stands of the Grandstand arena.
The 29-year-old looked visibly upset and had to wipe away tears from her face before apologising to the umpire and her opponent for the short delay.
Muchova, who has reached back-to-back US Open semi-finals, explained in a Czech press conference – a translation of the quotes has been verified by The Athletic – that the man “sometimes shows up at places where he shouldn’t be”.
She said: “Well… it wasn’t tennis-related. So l don’t really like talking about it.
“But 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.”
If players ever feel threatened or uncomfortable, they can ask the WTA or United States Tennis Association (USTA) pre-tournament to blacklist certain individuals from receiving tickets or deny them credentials.
In this instance, it is not believed Muchova had asked for her former boyfriend to be barred from entry at Flushing Meadows.
Muchova, who beat 45-year-old wildcard Venus Williams in a three-set first-round tie, is playing Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk on Monday with the winner securing passage into the quarter-finals.
After beating fellow Czech Linda Noskova last Saturday, she said: “Yeah, I’m alright. I didn’t make any report and everything is good.”
Asked if she felt safe going on the court again in New York City, she added: “Yeah, yeah, I feel okay.”
Before this year’s tournament, a USTA spokesperson said that “player safety is a critical element of our planning and execution for the US Open”.
They added: “Our comprehensive security plan includes protocols and procedures for effective risk mitigation and issue management.
“We work closely with the ATP, WTA, ITF, ITIA and the other Grand Slam events to stay informed of all relevant situations and concerns.
“The U.S. Open is in constant communication with local and federal law enforcement, who also maintain a presence at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.
“We utilise both physical and technological means throughout the event to monitor and maintain security, including online threats to players.”
Muchova was inadvertently involved in a high-profile stalking earlier this year when she faced Emma Raducanu at the Dubai Tennis Championships.
Britain’s tennis superstar, 22, burst into tears and struggled to breathe after just two games when she noticed a stalker in the front-row of her match in the UAE.
The man, who was ejected by security, had “exhibited fixated behaviour” when he approached Raducanu the day before to hand her a note and take her photograph.
The obsessed individual – who had followed the former US Open champion from Singapore to tournaments in the Middle East – was arrested by Dubai Police and signed a restraining order to keep his distance.
The man had been blocked by Wimbledon for applying for tickets for this summer’s Championships.
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