DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Concern over a person who’d exhibited “fixated behavior” brought on Emma Raducanu to method the chair umpire in tears and take an unscheduled break in her second-round match on the Dubai Championships, the Ladies’s Tennis Affiliation mentioned Wednesday.
There’d been no fast clarification Tuesday when the 2021 U.S. Open champion walked to the umpire after the second sport, mentioned a number of phrases after which stood in a small area between the again of the official’s chair and barrier netting adjoining to Court docket 2.
Raducanu, who was nonetheless a young person in 2022 when a person in Britain was convicted of stalking her at her household residence the earlier yr, returned to play after a quick delay at 2-0 down and finally misplaced 7-6 (6), 6-4 to 14th-seeded Karolina Muchova.
On Wednesday, the WTA issued a press release explaining that Raducanu was approached in a public area Monday “by a man who exhibited fixated behavior” and “this same individual was identified in the first few rows during Emma’s match on Tuesday … and subsequently ejected.”
“He will be banned from all WTA events pending a threat assessment.”
The chair umpire known as event organizers instantly when Raducanu reported her considerations within the first set of the night time match, and Muchova walked over to console the 22-year-old British participant.
Raducanu then picked up a towel, wiped her face, nodded and continued the match. She didn’t instantly touch upon the incident.
The WTA mentioned it was working with Raducanu and her crew “to ensure her well-being and provide any necessary support.”
Raducanu rose to fame in 2021 by profitable the U.S. Open as a qualifier, one of many probably the most unlikely achievements in tennis. She hasn’t superior previous the third spherical at a significant since then and has spent lengthy stints recovering from accidents.
