British Star Visibly Upset as Security Removes Man Exhibiting Fixated Behaviour from the Crowd
Emma Raducanu’s run at the Dubai Tennis Championships came to an abrupt end following a straight-sets defeat to Karolina Muchova. The match, however, was overshadowed by an unsettling incident involving a man in the crowd, leading to his removal from the venue.
Raducanu, who appeared visibly shaken and in tears early in the match, approached the umpire after falling 2-0 behind. She was reportedly distressed by the presence of a man seated close to the court, who had previously displayed concerning behaviour towards her.
A statement from the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) confirmed that Raducanu had encountered the same individual earlier in a public setting. Security intervened, ejecting the man from the stadium, and the WTA has since imposed a ban on his attendance at future events pending further assessment.
“Our priority is player safety,” the WTA stated. “We are working closely with Emma and her team to provide any necessary support and ensure she feels secure at all tournaments.”
Despite the unsettling situation, Raducanu fought back from a difficult start, pushing the first set to a tie-break before ultimately losing 7-6 (6), 6-4. Muchova’s victory secured her a place in the last 16, where she will face McCartney Kessler, who earlier caused an upset by defeating world No 3 Coco Gauff.
Raducanu struggled in the opening games, quickly falling 4-0 behind, but she responded by breaking Muchova’s serve twice to bring the set back to 5-4. She then saved two set points to force a tie-break but failed to capitalise on a key opportunity, allowing her Czech opponent to edge ahead.
The second set saw Raducanu broken early once again. Despite earning three break points in the sixth game, she was unable to convert any, and Muchova closed out the match 6-4.
Elsewhere in the tournament, Kessler claimed her first-ever victory over a top-10 player, defeating Gauff 6-4, 7-5. Meanwhile, world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka cruised past Veronika Kudermetova 6-3, 6-4, and Iga Swiatek breezed past Victoria Azarenka 6-0, 6-2.
Weather delays affected play, with Italy’s Jasmine Paolini enduring a nearly five-hour wait on match point before finally sealing a 6-2, 7-5 win over Germany’s Eva Lys.
Looking ahead, Raducanu is set to join Katie Boulter at the HSBC Championships in London this summer, marking the return of women’s professional tennis to the Queen’s Club for the first time in over 50 years. The WTA 500 event, scheduled for 7-15 June, will also feature Madison Keys, Naomi Osaka, and reigning Eastbourne champion Daria Kasatkina, with additional names to be announced.
