Female Tennis Player Startled by Spectator Stalker... Hides Behind Umpire's Chair

Suddenly Hiding Behind the Umpire’s Chair During the Match
Stalker Spotted Sitting in the Front Row of the Spectators During the Game

Emma Raducanu, the 2021 US Open women’s singles champion, hid behind the umpire’s chair during a match after feeling threatened by a stalker.

On the 19th (local time), foreign media including the UK’s Guardian reported on the reason behind Raducanu’s unusual behavior during the match. On that day, Raducanu suddenly approached the umpire during the first set of her second-round singles match against Karolina Muchova at the WTA Tour Dubai Duty Free Championship held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). She appeared to complain to the umpire about something and then abruptly hid behind the umpire’s chair.

Emma Raducanu, who became the women's singles champion at the 2021 US Open tennis tournament, hid behind the umpire's chair during a match after feeling threatened by a stalker. On the 19th (local time), foreign media including the British Guardian reported on the reason behind Emma Raducanu's unusual behavior during the match. Photo by AP and Yonhap News.

The WTA explained the next day, “On the 18th, a man exhibiting obsessive behavior toward the player approached Raducanu near the player’s accommodation in a public area.” They added, “The same individual was sitting in the front row of the spectators during Raducanu’s second-round match. Upon discovery, the player felt threatened, and the spectator was immediately ejected.” The WTA further stated, “Until a conclusion is reached regarding this matter, this man is banned from entering WTA venues.”

Raducanu reported the situation to the umpire when the game score was 0-2 in the first set. Ultimately, Muchova won the match 2-0 (7-6〈8-6〉, 6-4). On the 20th, Raducanu posted on her social media, “Thank you for all your supportive messages.” She added, “It was a difficult experience, but I am feeling better now, and it feels meaningful that I was able to continue playing.” She also expressed gratitude to Muchova for comforting her when she hid behind the umpire’s chair.

Meanwhile, this is not the first time Raducanu has suffered from stalking. In 2022, she was also a victim of stalking in the UK. At that time, a British man in his 30s named Amrit Magat visited Raducanu’s home three times, decorating a tree with Christmas ornaments and leaving gifts, letters, and bouquets. Along with the bouquet, he left a note saying, “You deserve to be loved.” His offenses did not stop there.

He also sent Raducanu a postcard with a map showing the route from his home, 23 miles (37 km) away, to hers, and even stole Raducanu’s father’s shoes, mistaking them for hers. Ultimately, the UK court imposed measures on this man, including a ban on approaching Raducanu within 1 mile (about 1.6 km), a curfew, and electronic tagging for approximately five years.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.