Emma Raducanu: I couldn’t see the ball through tears after spotting stalker at Dubai Open | Tennis News

Emma Raducanu has revealed she “couldn’t see the ball through tears” and could “barely breathe” during a stalking ordeal at the Dubai Open last month.

The 22-year-old Briton approached the umpire’s chair in tears just two games into her defeat to Karolina Muchova after receiving repeated unwanted attention from a “fixated” man before and during the second-round match.

Raducanu told media: “I was obviously very distraught. 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 tears. I could barely breathe.

“I was like, I need to just take a breather here.”

Raducanu disclosed she had previously been approached twice by the man off-court.

The 2021 US Open champion was speaking to media ahead of the start of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells, live on Sky Sports Tennis, where she will return to action for the first time since the ordeal.

The incident occurred early in the first set of the Muchova match. She regrouped to play on after the man was removed from the arena but lost 7-6 6-4.

She later opted not to press charges but the individual has been banned from 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 come here. I feel a lot better.”

Raducanu added to BBC Sport she is happy with the level of protection she is now receiving, saying: “[It] could have been dealt with better. Since that incident I have definitely got increased attention and greater security.

“All we can do is look at what happened and react to it in a better way, in a more positive way, rather than looking back and blaming the situation. Now it is being dealt with better, so for me that’s important.

“I’m always now very aware and not necessarily doing things on my own any more. I’m always with someone and always being watched.”

Raducanu will face Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima, who is ranked three places above her at 52 in the world, in the first round in California. The winner is guaranteed to face third seed Coco Gauff, with the top 32 players all receiving byes through to the second round.

Raducanu: I wasn’t sure I was going to come back and compete so soon

Raducanu told Sky Sports Tennis at Indian Wells…

“I’m very happy to be in Indian Wells, it’s my favourite tournament outside of the Slams. Being here, I feel a lot better.

“I wasn’t necessarily sure if I was going to come and compete so soon after what happened in Dubai, but I’m glad I made the decision to come here. I’m loving being here, I’m happy on the court.

“I always loved playing in America since junior days, I had this fascination with it. And I remember the first time I saw a palm tree. It was amazing, like I was in heaven.

“Then, obviously, it was pretty epic in New York and ever since, I’ve just had an amazing fanbase in America and I love it here.

“It’s just so easy. Everything is so practical, relaxed, spacious. So I’m just very happy to be here.”

Salmon: Raducanu must be allowed to feel ‘safe and protected’

In her latest Sky Sports column, Gigi Salmon discusses her tips for Indian Wells, British hopes, Petra Kvitova’s return from maternity leave and Raducanu’s stalking ordeal…

“It is impossible for us to put ourselves in Emma’s position as someone who is known around the world, who finds it difficult to go about her normal life without being recognised or approached and then the fear of being followed by someone who feels they know you and have a right to speak to you and be near you.

“I imagine it’s a difficult balance for ‘celebrities’ to strike who allow people a glimpse of their life through social media and to show who they are away from their place of work. This is maybe something they do willingly or are encouraged to do by agents, but it does NOT allow people to take advantage of that, assume they really know the person or to approach them. You do not know them!

“Emma has been told she can have added security and the hope is that firstly she feels safe and protected but also that the true fans who are respectful of the players still have the opportunity to get up close to the players. That is important to both fans and players and something that we would not want to lose.”