An emotional Emma Raducanu was knocked out of the Dubai Tennis Championships by Karolina Muchova, after a man in the crowd who had displayed “fixated behaviour” was ejected from the venue.
Raducanu appeared rattled and in tears as she went to the umpire’s chair after going behind 2-0 early in the encounter at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium. The British player had become upset due to a man who she had seen in the front few rows of the stands.
In February 2022, a stalker who walked 23 miles to Raducanu’s home and took her father’s shoe as a souvenir was given a five-year restraining order.
“Emma Raducanu was approached in a public area by a man who exhibited fixated behaviour,” a WTA 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.” The man will be banned from all WTA events pending a threat assessment, the WTA said.
“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 fought back from a dreadful start to take the first set to a tie-break, but ultimately went down 7-6 (6), 6-4 against Muchova to miss out on a last-16 clash with the American McCartney Kessler, who had earlier dumped Coco Gauff, the world No 3, out of the tournament.
Raducanu suffered a nightmare opening to a rain-delayed encounter, losing two service games as she fell 4-0 behind. However, the world No 61 broke back in the fifth courtesy of a stunning backhand return down the line before holding serve for the first time, and she was right back in it when she broke for a second time in the ninth game to trail only 5-4.
The Briton saved two set points to take it to a tie-break, where she failed to convert one of her own as her 28-year-old Czech opponent eventually prevailed 8-6. Raducanu’s disappointment was compounded when she was broken again in the first game of the second set and after failing to convert any of the three break points she earned in the sixth game, it was Muchova who edged across the line 6-4.
Gauff too went out in straight sets as her compatriot Kessler claimed a first win against a top 10-ranked player. The 25-year-old – ranked No 53 in the world – took the first set 6-4 and immediately broke in the first game of the second to pile on the pressure. Though it remained tight, Gauff was ultimately unable to turn the match around and went down 6-4, 7-5.
There were no such problems for world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka, who dispensed with Veronika Kudermetova 6-3, 6-4. Iga Swiatek, who is second in the world rankings, did not waste any time in dismantling Victoria Azarenka 6-0, 6-2.
Rain delays meant the Italian fourth seed, Jasmine Paolini, had to wait nearly five hours on match point against Germany’s Eva Lys. The players went off at 2.15pm local time and it was approaching 7pm when they finally returned. Just nine shots later, Paolini completed a 6-2 7-5 victory.
Raducanu and Katie Boulter, the British No 1, are set to compete at the new HSBC Championships in London. Women’s professional tennis will be returning to the Queen’s Club from for the first time in more than half a century from 7-15 June. Madison Keys – the Australian Open champion – also joins the lineup, alongside Naomi Osaka and last year’s Eastbourne champion, Daria Kasatkina, with more names still to be announced for the WTA 500 event.
