During her second-round match against Karolina Muchova at the Dubai Championships, British tennis star Emma Raducanu experienced a distressing incident involving a spectator. The unsettling encounter, which took place on Monday, left Raducanu visibly shaken and conversing with the umpire near the court's barrier netting.

While the immediate details surrounding the incident remained unclear during the match, Raducanu ultimately lost to Muchova in straight sets, 7-6 (6), 6-4. Subsequently, the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) issued a statement on Wednesday, shedding light on the situation. According to the WTA, a man exhibiting "fixated behavior" approached Raducanu in a public setting. This individual was later identified among the spectators during Raducanu's match and was promptly removed. The WTA intends to ban him from all future events pending a thorough threat assessment.

Emphasizing player safety as their utmost priority, the WTA affirmed their commitment to working with Raducanu and her team to ensure her well-being and provide necessary support. The organization also reiterated its dedication to collaborating with tournaments worldwide to maintain a secure environment for all players. This incident follows a previous stalking incident in 2021, in which a man in Britain was convicted of stalking the young tennis star at her family home.