'Fixated' man who left Emma Raducanu in tears during Dubai match given restraining order
20 February 2025, 15:58 | Updated: 20 February 2025, 16:32
A man who caused Emma Raducanu to break down in tears during a match at the Dubai Tennis Championships has been given a restraining order, UAE police have said.
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Raducanu appeared emotional as she went to the umpire's chair during her match against Karolina Muchova on Tuesday, after spotting the man in the crowd.
He had earlier approached her in a public area exhibiting "fixated behaviour".
She was seen dabbing her eyes with her towel and later comforted by her opponent.
Meanwhile, the man was removed from the court by security.
WTA explains why Emma Raducanu was in tears during her second-round match at the #DDFTennis.
— Victor Okechukwu (@Uzochuwu1) February 19, 2025
A clip showed her explaining the situation to the umpire. Before hiding behind the umpire seat. https://t.co/hw1P1pEYAz pic.twitter.com/YuqfLO4odq
Dubai Police said it had taken "swift action" in relation to the incident.
"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," they said in a statement on Thursday.
"While Raducanu later chose to drop the charges, the individual signed a formal undertaking to maintain distance from her and has been banned from future tournaments.
"Dubai remains committed to ensuring the safety and security of all residents and visitors to the emirate."
Raducanu thanked everyone for their messages of support following the incident.
"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," she said.
"Thank you to Karolina for being a great sport and best of luck to her for the rest of the tournament."
The Women's Tennis Association (WTA) said on Wednesday that the man would be banned from all WTA events "pending a threat assessment".
"Player safety is our top priority, and tournaments are advised on security best practices for international sporting events," they said.
