A man who exhibited “fixated behavior” towards Emma Raducanu during her second-round match at the WTA 1000 in Dubai has been issued a restraining order. This follows his actions during the match, which caused significant distress to the British tennis star. In return, the charges against him were dropped.
While Raducanu was trailing 2-0 in the opening set against Karolina Muchova, she appeared visibly upset and walked over to speak with the umpire. It became clear that the disturbance was linked to a man in the stands who had been causing Raducanu emotional distress. Authorities acted quickly, removing the individual from the crowd and escorting him off the premises.
In a statement, the Dubai Police shared their response: “Dubai authorities have taken swift action to address an incident involving British tennis star Emma Raducanu, in accordance with local legal protocols.” They elaborated on the man’s behavior, stating: “Following Raducanu’s complaint, Dubai Police detained a tourist who approached her, left her a note, took her photograph, and engaged in behaviour that caused her distress during the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.”
Although Raducanu later chose to drop the charges, the individual was required to sign a formal agreement to stay away from her. Additionally, he was banned from attending future tournaments. The Dubai authorities emphasized their commitment to ensuring the safety and security of everyone within the emirate.
Raducanu, understandably shaken by the incident, shared her thoughts on social media: “Thank you for the messages of support. Difficult experience yesterday (Tuesday) but I’ll be okay and proud of how I came back and competed despite what happened at the start of the match.” She also expressed gratitude to her opponent, Muchova: “Thank you to Karolina [Muchova] for being a great sport and best of luck to her for the rest of the tournament.”
Despite Raducanu’s brave performance, Muchova won the match 7-6(8-6), 6-4, securing her place in the next round.
In a post-match interview, Muchova was asked if she had ever experienced a similar situation. She responded, “I’m lucky around me it’s nice fans usually. Yeah, I wasn’t in the situation. Again, I felt sorry for her and for anyone who has to go through this. Obviously, there are people texting us after matches all the time. Sometimes not the nicest messages. But it’s never happened to me that someone would actually approach me live. Yeah, I guess I’m lucky it didn’t happen to me.”
The official WTA statement also addressed the incident, explaining: “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 WTA also reassured fans of their dedication to player safety: “Player safety is our top priority, and tournaments are advised on security best practices for international sporting events. 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.”
This incident was not the first time Raducanu has been targeted by troubling behavior. In 2022, a man was convicted of stalking her after he traveled 23 miles to her home, leaving notes and taking one of her father’s shoes as a bizarre souvenir. That individual was given a five-year restraining order, 200 hours of community service, and an eight-week curfew from 9pm to 6am.