Emma Raducanu’s safety concerns have escalated ahead of her participation at the upcoming Indian Wells Open, following a series of unsettling incidents in which a man exhibiting “fixated behaviour” stalked her through her last four tournaments.
The most recent event took place during Raducanu’s second-round match against Karolina Muchova at the WTA 1000 event in Dubai last week. After falling behind 0-2 in the first set, Raducanu, visibly distressed, sought a brief break from the match. She turned to the umpire for support and, in a moment of clear emotional overwhelm, hid behind the umpire’s chair, breaking into tears. Muchova showed empathy and comforted Raducanu, while the umpire engaged with security personnel. A conversation ensued between the umpire, security, and both players, and the match eventually resumed after the man was escorted from the stadium.
The WTA later confirmed that the man involved had approached Raducanu the previous day, and his unsettling behavior had been identified during the match. The organization released a statement saying: “On Monday, February 17, Emma Raducanu was approached in a public area by a man who exhibited fixated behaviour. 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.”
The man, a tourist in Dubai, has since been issued a restraining order after the charges against him were dropped. Raducanu has since returned to the UK, but her upcoming tournament schedule, starting with the Indian Wells WTA 1000 event from March 5-16, has raised concerns for her safety. In light of these events, Raducanu is expected to receive increased security at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, with sources reporting that she could be assigned up to five additional security personnel. Some of these guards may also accompany her to and from her accommodation during her stay.
The WTA’s Vice President of Security, Bob Campbell, who has a wealth of experience as a former United States Secret Service agent, is overseeing the arrangements. Given the gravity of the situation, this heightened security protocol is essential to ensure Raducanu’s safety as she continues to compete at the top level.
Roman Kelecic, Raducanu’s junior coach, who has been working closely with her at recent events in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, shared his concerns about the extent to which the man had been stalking her. He recalled the moment when the man had taken the opportunity to approach Raducanu during the match: “That was the only moment in a month where I, the fitness coach, the security guard who was with us, was not with her at that moment,” Kelecic said. He explained that the man had “assessed the situation and looked for the best moment to get closer to her. He had a strategy that was terrifying, he thought everything through, calculated it.” Kelecic described how the man’s strategy had succeeded in getting close to Raducanu, adding: “It’s terrifying how much he, in essence, thought about it all and planned it.”
What is even more alarming is that this same individual had stalked Raducanu at her previous three tournaments—Doha, Abu Dhabi, and Singapore—before the Dubai incident. Initially, Kelecic admitted, the team thought the man was simply a fan, but they soon realized his intentions were far more troubling. “We noticed him in Singapore, Abu Dhabi, Doha, and now in Dubai,” Kelecic told Croatian media outlet Net. “But initially we thought he was a fan, an admirer, because Emma is a really big tennis star with a huge fan base. Until he got physically close to her, started having contact in the form of selfies, hugging, etc.”
This ongoing stalking situation has prompted the WTA to take swift action, increasing Raducanu’s security in response to the growing threat. As the 2021 US Open champion prepares for her next tournament at Indian Wells, the pressure is mounting not only in terms of her tennis performance but also regarding her personal safety. The increased security is a necessary step, ensuring she can focus on her game without the added anxiety of such disturbing incidents.