Emma Raducanu, the former British No.1 tennis player, found herself in a deeply unsettling situation during her second-round match at the Dubai Open.

The 19-year-old was visibly distressed and in tears after realizing that a man, who had previously shown obsessive behavior towards her, was sitting in the front rows of the stadium.

This unsettling encounter left Raducanu cowering behind the umpire’s chair for support.

A Distressing Scene During the Match

The tension built during Raducanu’s match against Karolina Muchova on Tuesday night.

As the match progressed and she found herself 2-0 down in the first set, Raducanu began crying and wiping her face with a towel during a break in play.

The distress was evident, and after speaking briefly with the umpire, she appeared to seek solace by hiding behind the umpire’s chair.

Muchova, her opponent, was seen comforting her in this difficult moment.

After a brief pause, Raducanu returned to the court to resume the match.

However, she went on to lose in straight sets, 7-6 (6-8), 6-4, to the No.14 seed Muchova.

WTA Statement: Man’s Fixated Behavior Triggers Incident

In a concerning development, the WTA issued a statement explaining that Raducanu’s emotional distress was linked to the presence of a man in the stands.

The man had previously exhibited fixated behavior toward the young athlete, and the WTA confirmed that he had approached Raducanu earlier that week.

“On Monday, February 17, Emma Raducanu was approached in a public area by a man who exhibited fixated behavior,” the WTA statement read.

The statement went on to confirm that the same individual was spotted in the front rows during Raducanu’s match against Muchova on Tuesday and was subsequently ejected from the venue.

The WTA has banned him from attending any future events until a threat assessment is completed.

The WTA further emphasized that player safety is a top priority and that security best practices are being shared with tournaments globally.

They also assured that they are working closely with Raducanu and her team to ensure her safety and well-being.

Raducanu’s Previous Stalker Incident

This incident in Dubai isn’t the first time Raducanu has had to deal with unwanted attention.

Back in 2022, a man named Amrit Magar, 35, was handed a five-year restraining order after he repeatedly visited her family home following Raducanu’s groundbreaking 2021 US Open win.

Magar loitered around the property, leaving unwanted gifts, cards, and even stealing items from her porch.

He was eventually arrested after Raducanu’s father alerted authorities via a doorbell camera.

Magar, who was an ex-Amazon delivery driver, also left notes for Raducanu, claiming he had walked 23 miles to reach her home and that she “deserved love.”

Raducanu spoke out in court about how the ordeal made her feel unsafe in her own home.

She said that she was constantly looking over her shoulder and feeling apprehensive whenever she went out, particularly on her own.

As a result, Magar was sentenced to an 18-month community order, which included 200 hours of unpaid work and a curfew monitored by an electronic tag.

However, just a year later, Magar attempted to revoke his community order due to medical reasons.

There is no indication that he was the same person involved in the recent incident at the Dubai Open.

Raducanu’s Recent Struggles on the Court

Raducanu’s second-round loss to Muchova marked another disappointing result in what has been a tough stretch for the young player.

She had hoped to build momentum during her Middle Eastern tour but had already faced two early exits in previous tournaments.

Raducanu had received wild card entries for both the Abu Dhabi Open and the Qatar Open but was knocked out in the first round in straight sets by Marketa Vondrusova and Ekaterina Alexandrova, respectively.

Despite the challenges on the court, Raducanu’s resilience and determination to overcome personal and professional hurdles continue to be commendable.

Fans and fellow athletes alike are rallying around her as she works to regain her form and confidence.

This article was published on TDPel Media. Thanks for reading!

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