Emma Raducanu’s Ordeal with Stalking Incident in Dubai
A man who displayed alarming “fixated behaviour” towards British tennis star Emma Raducanu has been issued a restraining order by authorities in Dubai. Despite the unsettling incident, Raducanu has opted to drop formal charges against the stalker. In addition to the restraining order, the individual has been banned from attending any future tennis tournaments and is required to maintain a significant distance from Raducanu.
The former US Open champion appeared visibly shaken when she spotted the man in the audience during her match against Karolina Muchova at the Dubai Tennis Championships on Tuesday.
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In a troubling series of events, the man had previously approached Raducanu in public settings, presenting her with a note, taking unsolicited photographs, and exhibiting behaviour that caused her considerable distress. This raised serious concerns regarding her safety and well-being.
In an official statement, Dubai authorities remarked: “We have taken swift and decisive action to address the incident involving British tennis star Emma Raducanu, in strict accordance with local legal protocols. Although Raducanu later chose to withdraw her charges, the individual has signed a formal undertaking to maintain distance from her and is now banned from attending future tournaments. Our commitment to ensuring the safety and security of all residents and visitors to Dubai remains unwavering.”
The term “fixated behaviour”—as used in the initial statement from the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA)—is defined by psychiatric experts as “an intense preoccupation pursued to an abnormally intense degree.” This is not the first time Raducanu has encountered such troubling behaviour. In 2022, she faced a similar situation when a man visited her home multiple times, eventually leading to a criminal conviction against him.
Raducanu promptly reported her unsettling interaction with the man in Dubai to the Women’s Tennis Association, but unfortunately, they were unable to identify him before her match commenced. Following the incident, Raducanu took to Instagram to express her gratitude for the support she received, stating, “Thank you for the messages of support. It was a difficult experience yesterday, but I’ll be okay and I’m proud of how I managed to come back and compete despite the circumstances at the start of the match. Thank you to Karolina for being a great sport and best of luck to her for the remainder of the tournament.”
During the match against Muchova, Raducanu found herself trailing 2-0 in the second set when she recognized the man in the stands. Ultimately, she lost the match with a score of 7-6, 6-4, despite having recently broken a four-match losing streak just two days prior by defeating Maria Sakkari.
