Emma Raducanu Opens Up on Stalking Ordeal at Dubai Open: ‘I Could Barely Breathe’

TDT | Manama

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Emma Raducanu faced more than just a tough opponent at last month’s Dubai Open—she endured a harrowing stalking incident that left her struggling to breathe and hiding behind the umpire’s chair. The 22-year-old British tennis star shared the emotional toll of the experience as she spoke to reporters ahead of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, her first tournament since the ordeal.

A Match Marred by Fear

During her second-round match against Karolina Muchova at the Dubai Open, Raducanu noticed a man exhibiting “fixated” behavior in the stands. It wasn’t the first time—she’d been approached by him twice off the court prior to the match. “I saw him in the first game, and I don’t know how I finished,” she recalled, her voice heavy with the memory. “I literally couldn’t see the ball through tears. I could barely breathe.” Overwhelmed, she paused the match, taking a moment to gather herself. “I needed to just take a breather,” she said. The man was removed from the arena, allowing Raducanu to continue, but the emotional weight was too much to overcome—she ultimately lost 7-6, 6-4.

An Emotional Aftermath

After the match, Raducanu broke down in tears, not just from the defeat but from the strain of the past few weeks. “It was a very emotional time,” she told reporters. “There was so much emotion in the last few weeks with everything happening.” She shared her struggle on Instagram, calling it a “difficult experience,” and took a week off to recover. While she opted not to press charges, the individual has been banned from future tournaments, a small relief as she works to move forward. “I feel a lot better now,” she added, a hint of resilience in her tone.

A History of Unwanted Attention

This isn’t the first time Raducanu has faced such challenges. In 2022, Amrit Magar was given a five-year restraining order by Bromley Magistrates Court after stalking her, even walking 23 miles to her family home while she was still a teenager. The incident underscores the pressures young athletes face beyond the court, a harsh reality for someone who burst onto the scene in 2021 by winning the US Open as an 18-year-old unseeded qualifier—one of tennis’s most remarkable underdog stories.

Back on the Court with Eyes Forward

Raducanu is set to return to action this week at Indian Wells, facing Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima, ranked 52nd in the world, just three spots above her. A win would pit her against third seed Coco Gauff in the second round, a daunting but exciting challenge for the former champion. After a tough 2024, which included a Wimbledon exit to Lulu Sun, Raducanu is ready to focus on her game again. “I needed that week off to take a breather and come here,” she said, her determination clear. For a young star who’s already weathered so much, this tournament feels like a fresh start—a chance to reclaim her rhythm and remind the tennis world of her undeniable talent.