Emma Raducanu has now shared the full details of the unsettling incident that left her in tears during her match against Karolína Muchova at the Dubai Tennis Championships last month.
She revealed that she had been deeply unsettled by a message she received the day before while at a coffee shop in Dubai. The 22-year-old became visibly distressed upon realizing that the same individual was seated in the front rows during her match against Muchova.
According to the WTA, the man displayed “fixated behavior” and was removed from the match before being banned from future events.
Raducanu has spoken out about the events leading up to Indian Wells, revealing that the man approached her at a coffee shop and left her shaken after admitting he had been following her “everywhere.”
She stated: “There were two instances, and it was the second one that I just got freaked out by. The first one was more like a normal fan approaching you, except for the fact he told me he followed me everywhere. And then [he] kind of watched me in the coffee shop for a while… the second incident was really worrying.”
Raducanu admitted that while she broke down in tears after leaving the court, she was proud of herself for continuing to play despite being visibly shaken by the incident.
However, she revealed that in the early stages of her match against Muchova, she struggled to “see the ball.”
She continued: “The first four games kind of ran away from me. I was not on the court, to be honest, and I’m not really sure how I regrouped. I think that was a pretty good effort for me to carry on playing in that match, in that scenario. I finished the match, and I even had chances in the first set, but, yeah, it was a very emotional time.
“After the match, I did break down in tears, but not necessarily because I lost. It was more because there was just so much emotion in the last few weeks of events. I needed a week off to take a breather and come here, and I feel a lot better.”
| Emma Raducanu’s best Grand Slam results | ||
|---|---|---|
| Tournament | Best result | Year |
| Australian Open | R3 | 2025 |
| French Open | R2 | 2022 |
| Wimbledon | R4 | 2021, 2024 |
| US Open | Winner | 2021 |
Since the incident, Raducanu has been provided with additional security.
The British star will now look to shift her focus to Indian Wells, where she faces Moyuka Uchijima in the first round, with Coco Gauff awaiting the winner.
Emma Raducanu: I could barely breathe or see after spotting stalker in crowd
Emma Raducanu admitted she was in tears and struggled to see the ball after spotting her stalker in the crowd during her second-round match at the Dubai Open last month.
The 22-year-old also shared that she was barely able to breathe during the distressing moment, which led her to seek refuge behind the umpire’s chair before eventually losing to Karolina Muchova.
Now, after stepping away from tennis and returning to England to regain her composure, Raducanu is set to make her comeback at Indian Wells in California on Thursday.
“I was obviously very distraught,” Raducanu said on Tuesday. “I saw him in the first game of the match and I was, like I don’t know how I’m going to finish. I literally couldn’t see the ball through the tears. I could barely breathe.
“I was like, you just need to take a breather here. The first four games kind of ran away from me because I was not on the court, to be honest. I’m not really sure how I regrouped. I think that was a pretty good effort for me to carry on playing in that match and that scenario and finish the match.”
The former US Open champion crossed paths with her stalker twice in Dubai—first when he gave her a letter and silently observed her at a coffee shop.
She explained: “It was the second one I just got freaked out by because the first one was more like a normal fan approaching you.
“The second incident was really worrying.”
The stalker tracked her from Singapore to Dubai and has since been issued a restraining order by Dubai police.
In response, the WTA has strengthened Raducanu’s security, overseen by a former senior secret service agent.
Although she chose not to press charges, the individual has been barred from attending future tournaments.
“It was a very emotional time,” Raducanu said. “After the match I did break down in tears, but not necessarily because I lost.
“There was just so much emotion in the last few weeks of the events happening, and I just needed that week off to take a breather and and come here. I feel a lot better.”
Raducanu is set to take on Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima, ranked 52nd in the world—three spots ahead of her—in the first round in California. The winner will earn a matchup against third seed Coco Gauff, as the top 32 players automatically advance to the second round.
Nick Kyrgios suffers major injury scare ahead of Indian Wells opener
Australia’s Nick Kyrgios has raised fresh injury concerns after being forced to halt his training at Indian Wells.
The 29-year-old had been preparing for his return to competition following another injury setback, having struggled with fitness issues at the Australian Open, where he exited in the first round after a straight-sets defeat to Britain’s Jacob Fearnley (7-6, 6-3, 7-6).
However, Kyrgios appears to have suffered another setback, stopping practice due to discomfort in his right wrist.
He is scheduled to face the Netherlands’ Botic van de Zandschulp in the round of 128 on Thursday.
The ATP 1000 event at Indian Wells will run over the next two weeks, featuring top players competing for the title.
Fitness struggles have plagued Kyrgios for some time. A serious injury in 2022 sidelined him for over two years, and despite returning late last year, he has struggled to find consistent form.
Following his early exit at the Australian Open, the Canberra native hinted that he might consider stepping away from singles competition in the near future.
“I went out there, I would say 65% of my capacity,” he said. “For [the fans] to really see me fighting and still giving me that energy, it meant a lot, because I feel like I’ve given my life to tennis and I’ve tried to give them a show every time I go out there. Realistically, I can’t see myself playing a singles match here again.” My journey is not over, but I’ve had an amazing journey. My career has been amazing. I continue to try and have fun, just be real, and enjoy the ride. But I think it would be selfish for me to say that I want more. I’ve had a lot of success. More than most athletes would have.”
