Emma Raducanu’s Stalker Banned After Disturbing Dubai Incident
New details have emerged regarding the stalker incident involving Emma Raducanu, revealing that the same individual visited her hotel a day before her match in Dubai to deliver a written letter.
On Tuesday, during her second-round match against Karolina Muchova, the 2021 US Open champion was visibly shaken just two games in. After a conversation with the chair umpire, the 22-year-old disclosed that she had spotted a stalker sitting in the front rows.
Officials reacted immediately, ejecting the individual from the stadium.
Now, The Telegraph reports that the day before the incident, the man approached Raducanu’s hotel with a handwritten letter, further alarming the former world No. 10. She promptly alerted the WTA and on-site security. It has also been revealed that the individual is not a UK national.
Raducanu Expresses Gratitude for Swift Action
Following the incident, the WTA took decisive action, banning the man from attending any future tournaments.
Raducanu also expressed her appreciation for Muchova, who comforted her when she paused the match to explain why she was distressed.
“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,” Raducanu wrote on her Instagram Story.
“Thank you to Karolína for being a great sport, and best of luck to her for the rest of the tournament.”
Meanwhile, the Dubai tournament organizers backed the WTA’s decision to ban the individual and praised the swift response of security teams.
“We fully support the statement made earlier today by the WTA regarding the incident involving Emma Raducanu on February 17,” event organizers stated. “The tournament security team worked in collaboration with the WTA security team to proactively identify and immediately eject the individual in question from the stadium during Emma’s second-round match on Tuesday.”
Raducanu will now look to move past the distressing experience as she focuses on the rest of her season.
