British No 2 Emma Raducanu has admitted she remains “wary when going out” following her ordeal with a stalker at the Dubai Tennis Championships earlier this year. The 22-year-old hid behind the umpire’s chair in tears after receiving repeated unwanted attention from a “fixated” man before and during a second-round match against Karolina Muchova in February.
Raducanu said at the time she “couldn’t see the ball through tears” and could “barely breathe”. She has now revealed the situation was exacerbated by her being unsettled without a full-time coach. The 2021 US Open champion is now approaching the grass-court season with coaches Mark Petchey and Nick Cavaday in tow.
“It was difficult,” she told BBC Sport. “It was emphasised by the fact I didn’t necessarily feel certain or comfortable in my own set-up and team so it just added to the anxious feeling. I’m obviously wary when I go out. I try not to be careless about it because you only realise how much of a problem it is when you’re in that situation and I don’t necessarily want to be in that situation again.”
Raducanu added that she feels “pretty settled” off the court with good people around her. She is managing a back problem in the buildup to Wimbledon, having been hindered by persistent spasm issues for much of 2025. She will feature in the Queen’s Club Championships this week, the first women’s tournament at the venue since 1973, where she will face Spanish qualifier Cristina Bucsa in the first round on Tuesday.
