Emma Raducanu has said she will be ok after a 'difficult experience' at the Dubai Tennis Championships after she was approached by a man displaying 'fixated behaviour'.
The tennis star started hiding behind the umpire's chair two games into her match against Karolina Muchová on Tuesday (18 February), with play stopped as she discussed the situation with the official.
A man was eventually removed from the court, with Raducanu appearing to use a towel to wipe away tears before returning to the match.
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The man who was removed had reportedly given Raducanu a letter the day before the match, and was then spotted in the front few rows of the crowd early into her match against Muchova.
Raducanu was also comforted by her opponent, who went on to win the match, before play resumed.
The British tennis star took to social media afterwards to thank people for sending supportive messages and praised her opponent for 'being a great sport'.
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She said: "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.
"Thank you to Karolina for being a great sport and best of luck to her for the rest of the tournament."
Raducanu has previously faced a stalker, who in 2022 was handed a restraining order after he walked 23 miles to her house and stole her father's shoe as a souvenir.
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The WTA has released a statement on the matter, saying: "On Monday, February 17, Emma Raducanu was approached in a public area by a man who exhibited fixated behaviour.
"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.
"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."
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The Dubai Tennis Championships said they 'fully support' the decision to ban the man from all WTA events.
The Lawn Tennis Association has been in contact with Raducanu and her team, saying that it 'highlights issues around safety that all players, but female players in particular, can face'.
Joe Harker