Emma Raducanu has returned to London following a distressing experience with a stalker at the 2025 Dubai Tennis Championships. The 22-year-old appeared visibly shaken as she shared an emotional reunion with her father at the airport.

After defeating Maria Sakkari in the opening round of the WTA 1000 event, Raducanu fell to Karolina Muchova in the second round, displaying signs of distress during the match. She broke down in tears, hid behind the umpire’s chair, and appeared to suffer a panic attack while security escorted a man from the stands.

The WTA later confirmed that the individual had exhibited “fixated behavior” toward Raducanu the day before and announced that he would be banned from all tour-level events to ensure her safety.

Now back in London, Raducanu’s homecoming was far from joyous, as she was seen in tears at Heathrow Airport, visibly emotional after reuniting with her father, Ion.

Emma Raducanu crying in Heathrow airport

Is the Stalking Incident that bad!?

Somebody tells her it's fine, the guy is not a threat anymore!

🫩 pic.twitter.com/5HEvbL6Kw6

— رينفري (@QRenfri) February 21, 2025

Emma Raducanu’s coach discloses ‘frightening’ details about her Dubai stalker

Emma Raducanu’s distress is understandable, given revelations from her coaching team member, Roman Kelecic. He disclosed that the man had been following her across multiple tournaments, from the Singapore Open to Abu Dhabi, Doha, and Dubai.

Kelecic also described a disturbing incident at a restaurant in the tennis center, where the man hugged Raducanu “obsessively” and refused to leave her alone, leaving the Brit in a state of “great panic.”

“He (The stalker) approached her, started obsessively hugging her, taking pictures with her, in short, he didn’t leave her alone, and then Emma called me in a great panic for help. This was the only moment during the tournament when none of us from the team was with Emma,” he told Croatian portal Net.hr.

“The most frightening thing about it all is that he was obviously monitoring her movements the whole time and that he had a plan for how and when he would try to get to her,” he added.

Emma Raducanu Tearful Reunion with Dad at Heathrow
Read more: https://t.co/aInNMu0aQC pic.twitter.com/r22KfsRVTG

— netiblogpro.com (@netiblogpro) February 21, 2025

After spending time recovering with her family, Emma Raducanu will aim to move past the distressing experience. She is set to return to action at the Indian Wells Open, which begins on March 5.

Female tennis players have voiced their concerns about safety and online threats following Emma Raducanu’s unsettling courtside incident in Dubai.

Raducanu appeared visibly distressed during her second-round loss to Karolina Muchova at the Dubai Tennis Championships after noticing a man in the crowd displaying ‘fixated behavior.’

The individual was later removed from the stands, and it was revealed that he had also approached her at her hotel the previous day.

Following the incident, Raducanu shared a brief message on Instagram, expressing gratitude for the support from fans and affirming her determination to move past the ‘difficult experience.’

This alarming event has once again highlighted the broader issue of security for elite female athletes, both at sporting events and online.

Raducanu has faced similar challenges in the past. In 2022, Amrit Magar was convicted of stalking her and received a five-year restraining order after walking 23 miles to her home.

A court was told that the incident left Raducanu feeling unsafe, constantly looking over her shoulder, and uneasy in her own home.

In light of the latest episode, several other players have come forward with their own stories.

World No. 2 Iga Swiatek recalled a frightening encounter with a fan during a tournament in her home country of Poland.

‘We were able to avoid one incident that might have been scary back in the day when I was hosting my own event in Poland,’ Swiatek recalled.

‘There are fans that are kind of, I don’t know, everywhere. But I’m pretty sure that they don’t have any bad intentions.

‘Obviously we are public persons, so we should always keep our eyes open and be ready to react if we feel uncomfortable. I’m sure it must have been tough for Emma.’

Meanwhile, 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva, who is set to face Swiatek in the Dubai quarter-finals, revealed that she has been subjected to graphic threats online following her losses.

‘After every loss I think every player receives a bunch of hateful messages,’ Andreeva revealed.

‘I remember once when I was young, when I was 14 years old, I was playing one of my first ITF tournaments and I received a message after my loss that said: ‘Look around because I’m going to find you and I’m going to cut your arms’.

‘That was still the one that I remember to this day.’

Mirra Andreeva opens up on trauma of being threatened to have her arms cut

Mirra Andreeva expressed sympathy for Emma Raducanu, revealing that she received a disturbing message three years ago that has stayed with her ever since.

Following Raducanu’s unsettling encounter with a stalker at both her hotel and on the court, WTA officials and security in Dubai swiftly identified, removed, and banned the individual from the venue.

The incident has reignited discussions about player safety on the tour.

While many players have praised the WTA’s efforts in protecting them, social media abuse remains a serious concern.

Reflecting on Raducanu’s experience, Andreeva recalled receiving a chilling threat from someone telling her to “cut your arms.”

“Of course, after every loss I think every player receives a bunch of hateful messages,” the Russian, who turns 18 in April, said in Dubai.

“I remember once when I was young, when I was 14 years old, I was playing one of my first ITF tournaments.

“And I received a message after my loss which said: ‘Look around, because I’m going to find you and I’m going to cut your arms.’

“That was still the one that I remember until today.”

The WTA remains ‘committed’ to protecting players

After the man attempted to deliver a letter to Raducanu at her hotel, officials were alerted, preventing him from reaching her.

However, he later showed up to watch Raducanu’s match against Karolina Muchova.

That was when security intervened and took decisive action.

“Player safety is our top priority, and tournaments are advised on security best practices for international sporting events,” the WTA said after the Raducanu incident.

“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.”

Tennis officials have barred a “fixated” man from attending any future events after a distressing incident involving Emma Raducanu in Dubai.

Raducanu, 22, was confronted by the man in public on Monday, and he was later seen at her match against Karolina Muchova the following day. The British star, visibly shaken, alerted the umpire just two games into the match. Overcome with emotion, she struggled to control her breathing and was reduced to tears.

“This individual was identified in the first few rows… …and subsequently ejected,” a WTA statement said.

“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.”

Raducanu was visibly shaken by the incident, seeking refuge behind the umpire’s chair as she sobbed and struggled to steady her breathing. Her opponent, Karolina Muchova, approached to console her, and Raducanu took a moment to sit down and wipe away her tears before resuming play.

Despite attempting to regain her composure, covering her head with a towel during changeovers to focus on her breathing, Raducanu fell in a tightly contested match, losing 7-6, 6-4.

The British No. 2 has previously faced similar distressing experiences, including being stalked by Amrit Magar, 35, who visited her South London home multiple times, leaving unwanted gifts and stealing items from her porch. Raducanu admitted the ordeal left her feeling unsafe and apprehensive about going out. Magar was issued a five-year restraining order and an 18-month community order by Bromley Magistrates Court in February 2022.

In Dubai, after the man was removed from the match, Raducanu initially struggled, losing the first four games before mounting a comeback to force a first-set tiebreak. She even held a set point, but 14th-seeded Muchova raised her level at crucial moments, overturning a 5-2 deficit in the breaker to claim the set. The Czech secured an early break in the second set and went on to seal victory after two hours and seven minutes, with the match concluding at midnight due to rain delays.