British tennis star Emma Raducanu broke down in tears mid-match and briefly hid behind the umpire’s chair after allegedly being rattled by a “fixated” fan in a distressing scene at the Dubai Tennis Championships.
The 22-year-old faced Karolina Muchova in the second round, quickly falling behind after losing the first two games.
But just moments into the match, Raducanu approached the umpire and took shelter behind their chair before returning to her seat and wiping her tears with a towel.
“It doesn’t look good for Raducanu, who appears to be in tears here. Very, very concerning,” the TV commentator said. “You never want to see a player in tears on court. This is meant to be a fun game.”
Security soon stepped in as a spectator — who had shouted something toward Raducanu — was removed from the venue.
WTA Condemns ‘Fixated’ Fan Behavior
The Women's Tennis Association (WTA) has swiftly addressed the incident, confirming that the same individual had previously approached Raducanu in a public area, per BBC Sport.
“On Monday, February 17, Emma Raducanu was approached in a public area by a man who exhibited fixated behaviour,” the WTA’s statement read. “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 wellbeing 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.”
Tennis World Reacts to ‘Scary’ Incident
Fans and pundits were quick to express concern for Raducanu, who battled through the match despite the disturbing distraction.
Respected tennis journalist Ben Rothenberg took to X, writing: “This sort of thing, sadly, is another age-old issue in women’s tennis. WTA security has generally been very good the last few decades.”
Another fan echoed the sentiment, posting: “Pretty scary situation when a stalker turns up at your match. Raducanu did well to finish given how rattled she was.”
Another fan tweeted: "The fact that she continued playing after that shows strength, all love to her."
Despite the unsettling moment, Raducanu pushed on, mounting a comeback from 4-0 and 5-2 down to force a tie-break. She even had a set point but ultimately lost the first set after a grueling 73 minutes. Muchova, 28, secured the victory 7-6, 6-4, in a match interrupted by rain delays.
Raducanu, who made history as the first qualifier to win a Grand Slam with her 2021 US Open victory, has struggled with consistency since her breakthrough, dealing with injuries and multiple coaching changes. This marks her 13th wildcard in 18 WTA tournaments and her fifth defeat in six matches.
While her return to form remains a work in progress, the priority now is ensuring her safety and well-being after a deeply unsettling episode on court.