Emma Raducanu was left terrified during her second-round match at the Dubai tennis tournament after spotting a man in the stands who had previously approached her at her hotel and given her a letter.
The 22-year-old former US Open champion broke down in tears and hid behind the umpire's chair before officials swiftly removed the individual, who has now been banned from WTA events pending investigation.
The man had approached Raducanu in her hotel on Monday, February 17, handing her a letter that caused her significant distress, according to the Daily Mail.
She then immediately reported the concerning behaviour to on-site security and WTA staff.
Emma Raducanu was left terrified during her second-round match at the Dubai tennis tournament after spotting a man in the stands who had previously approached her at her hotel and given her a letter
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The individual, who is reportedly not to a British national, was later identified as the same person who appeared in the stands during her match.
During Tuesday's match, Raducanu spotted the man in the first few rows of the stands, causing her visible distress.
The 22-year-old immediately approached umpire Miriam Bley and sought refuge behind the official's chair.
The court layout at Dubai's Aviation Club Tennis Centre meant Raducanu was directly facing the man from one end, while being aware of his presence behind her at the other.
WTA statement on the security incident in Dubai:
— wta (@WTA) February 19, 2025
On Monday, February 17, Emma Raducanu was approached in a public area by a man who exhibited fixated behavior. This same individual was identified in the first few rows during Emma’s match on Tuesday at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis…
The WTA swiftly issued a statement confirming the man's removal and subsequent ban from future events pending a threat assessment.
"Player safety is our top priority," the WTA statement read. "The WTA is actively working with Emma and her team to ensure her well-being and provide any necessary support."
Tournament organisers added that their security team had "worked in collaboration with the WTA security team to proactively identify and immediately eject the individual."
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Despite the distressing incident, Raducanu managed to deliver a competitive performance against Karolina Muchova, a former French Open finalist.
After falling behind 0-4 in the opening set, the British player fought back impressively to force a tiebreak, where she led 5-2 before Muchova recovered.
Raducanu ultimately lost the match 7-6 (8-6), 6-4 to the Czech player, who is currently ranked 17th in the world.
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The incident has reignited discussions about player safety in tennis, particularly regarding female athletes.
The most notorious case involved Monica Seles, who was stabbed during a changeover in Hamburg in 1993 by a fan obsessed with Steffi Graf.
Other high-profile cases include Serena Williams being stalked across tournaments in 2001 and Martina Hingis hiring a bodyguard after persistent harassment between 1999 and 2000.
Emma Raducanu was reduced to tears during her Dubai Championship match on Tuesday night
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The frightening incident came at a particularly challenging time for Raducanu, who had just broken her worst career losing streak of four consecutive defeats.
Her victory over Maria Sakkari in Dubai's opening round had marked a welcome return to form.
Despite the unsettling circumstances, Raducanu's competitive showing against Muchova suggested encouraging signs as she concluded her Middle East swing.
