Darts star Luke Littler has shared his thoughts on the challenges of being a young athlete in the public eye following Emma Raducanu’s recent stalker incident.
Raducanu reportedly encountered a stranger who handed her a letter outside her hotel room at the Dubai Tennis Championships. The same man later appeared in the crowd during her second-round match against Karolína Muchova, leading to a visibly emotional reaction from the British tennis star. She was seen in tears on the court before approaching the chair umpire to explain the situation.
On Thursday, it was confirmed that the man had been given a restraining order, with Raducanu opting to drop all charges.
Both Littler and Raducanu know the pressures of being young prodigies thrust into the spotlight, having risen to prominence as teenagers in their respective sports. Following Raducanu’s ordeal, Littler reflected on the darker side of fame and the challenges of dealing with obsessive fans.
Speaking to The Daily Mirror, the reigning world champion said:
“Obviously, the fans wait for us. They find out every hotel that we stay at. They want pictures and stuff like that, but when you’re getting stalked and followed, that’s just hitting a different level, to be honest.
“Players and everyone, they will get pictures. We all know we can’t take pictures with everyone, but I think following people, it’s a different level.”
Raducanu has previously spoken about Littler’s rapid rise in the world of darts, recognizing the pressures that come with early success.
