A man was ejected from the Dubai Tennis Championships on Tuesday after he exhibited “fixated behavior” toward British tennis star Emma Raducanu, the Women’s Tennis Association said.
The man approached Raducanu, 22, in a public area Monday before he showed up in the first few rows of Raducanu’s second-round match against Czech player Karolina Muchova on Tuesday, the WTA said in a statement.
Raducanu broke down in tears at the start of the match before she approached the umpire, appearing to explain the situation and hid behind the umpire’s chair.
The man was removed from the match and will be banned from all WTA events “pending a threat assessment,” the WTA said.
“Player safety is our top priority, and tournaments are advised on security best practices for international sporting events,” the association said. “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,” it added.
A spokesperson for the Lawn Tennis Association, the governing body of tennis in the U.K., said in an email that it has “extensive security arrangements” for its players that are “under constant review.”
“This incident once again highlights issues around safety that all players, but female players in particular, can face,” the spokesperson said. “We have support available for British players and have been in contact with Emma and her team following the events in Dubai.”
On Wednesday, Raducanu took to her Instagram story to thank fans for the “messages of support.” She also thanked Muchova for being a “great sport” and wished her luck in the rest of the tournament.
“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,” Raducanu wrote.
Tuesday night’s incident was not Raducanu’s first troubling encounter with a fan.
In 2022, a man was found guilty of stalking Raducanu after he showed up at her home on three separate occasions and left unwanted gifts and flowers. He received a five-year restraining order.
Raducanu rose to global stardom when she won the U.S. Open in 2021 at age 18. She has accrued over 2.5 million followers on Instagram; picked up sponsorships with luxury brands, including Tiffany & Co., Dior and Porsche; and attended the Met Gala.
Raducanu lost the match Tuesday, 7-6(6), 6-4. She is ranked as the 61st best women’s singles player in the world, according to the WTA.
Rebecca Cohen contributed.
