Tennis

WTA Explains Bizarre Incident Involving Emma Raducanu During Dubai Match

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By
wendioliveros
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wendioliveros Sports Editor

Wendi Oliveros is a diehard tennis fan that is known to set her clock at ridiculous hours to watch live action especially during the Australian Open. She is known for indulging in strawberries and cream during Wimbledon and has watched the US Open live several times.

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Sports Editor

Published18 Feb 2025

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Tennis player Emma Raducanu of Great Britain smiles as she walks off the court after a match at Wimbledon 2021 in London, England | Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

Emma Raducanu exhibited odd behavior during her WTA Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships match against Karolina Muchova.  She was visibly upset and sought refuge behind the umpire’s chair. Muchova walked behind the chair to comfort her, and the umpire also got down and spoke with her. Raducanu eventually went to her chair and used the towel to wipe her tears.


Some fans incorrectly speculated she experienced an injury, but the WTA issued a statement explaining what happened.

What Emma Raducanu Saw That Upset Her

Emma Raducanu had a run-in with a male in the complex on February 17.  The WTA describes the man as having “fixated behavior.”  When she looked into the stands at that point in the match, she saw the same person in one of the front rows.

Upon learning the situation, the WTA ejected the man from the match and tournament.  He is banned from WTA events pending further investigation.

The WTA Got This Right

Some of us are old enough to remember Monica Seles getting stabbed during a tennis match with Steffi Graf.  The person who did it was sitting in one of the front rows.

While there is more security these days, it is still smart for the WTA to throw people out immediately and figure out the details of the man’s fixation on Raducanu after that.

Raducanu is 22 years old and a popular personality and tennis star worldwide.  She is the 2021 US Open Champion. It is worth noting that she is currently playing without a coach. Having a smaller team traveling with her could also make her feel more vulnerable.