Emma Raducanu’s opponent shares first-hand experience of scary ‘stalker’ incident in Dubai

By celebrityinfo.online On Feb 20, 2025

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Karolina Muchova Comforts Raducanu After ‘Fixated’ Spectator Incident in Dubai

Karolina Muchova has spoken out after a disturbing incident involving a man displaying “fixated behaviour” during her match against Emma Raducanu at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.

Raducanu, visibly distressed, burst into tears while trailing 2-0 in the second-round clash and approached the umpire. It was later revealed that a man who had previously approached her had been spotted in the crowd and was subsequently removed from the stands.

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Muchova’s Support for Raducanu

There was immediate concern as Raducanu struggled emotionally on court. Muchova, showing great sportsmanship, walked over to console her opponent. Once the spectator was ejected, the match resumed.

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The former US Open champion fought bravely, erasing a 4-0 deficit before ultimately falling to Muchova 7-6(6), 6-4.

Speaking about the incident after her next-round victory over McCartney Kessler, Muchova admitted she was initially unaware of what was happening.

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“Yeah, it was a strange situation,” she said. “I honestly went for my serve and didn’t even realize something was wrong. Then I saw Emma wasn’t on the other side, so I went to check with the referee. She told me what was happening.”

The world No. 17 expressed sympathy for Raducanu and praised the quick response from security.

“Obviously, you don’t want to see these things happening to anyone, to any woman, any girl. I was just trying to be there, maybe calm her down a little. I’m happy they solved it quickly. I think she was fine after a while, and then we just continued the match.”

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Raducanu Thanks Muchova for Her Support

Raducanu has since returned home and took to Instagram to express her gratitude.

“Thank you for the messages of support. 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 wrote.

She also acknowledged Muchova’s kindness, adding: “Thank you to Karolina for being a great sport and best of luck to her for the rest of the tournament.”

WTA Confirms Spectator Ban

The WTA later confirmed that the same man had approached Raducanu on Monday, February 17, and was subsequently identified in the stands on Tuesday.

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

“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.”

Muchova, reflecting on the incident, acknowledged that while players often receive negative messages online, she has never personally experienced anything similar in real life.

“I’m lucky to have nice fans around me. Obviously, people send us messages after matches—sometimes not the nicest ones. But I’ve never had anyone approach me live. I guess I’m lucky it hasn’t happened to me.”

As the WTA Tour continues to prioritize player safety, Raducanu’s experience serves as a reminder of the challenges athletes face beyond the court.

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