Stalker may have thrown Raducanu off her game in Dubai

An alleged stalker who approached Emma Rraducanu on the grounds of the Dubai tournament on Monday and was thrown out of her Tuesday match may have been the cause of the Briton’s 7-6 (6), 6-4 defeat.

The WTA issued a statement on the apparent incident, with online speculation that the man was the one ejected from her late-night loss to Karolina Muchova.

“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 Championships and subsequently ejected. He will be banned from all WTA events pending a threat assessment,” the statement read.

“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.”

Television viewers online indicated that Raducanu was avoiding one corner of the Aviation Club court during her match with Muchova, the same location where the man was removed from the match by security.