A man who displayed obsessive conduct towards British tennis star Emma Raducanu was apprehended and issued a prohibition order, Dubai Police confirmed.
A visibly distressed Raducanu was seen shielding herself behind the umpire’s chair just two games into her second-round loss at the Dubai Tennis Championships on Tuesday.
Raducanu had noticed the man in the front rows of the audience during her match against Karolina Muchova.
The 22-year-old was confronted by the same man, who handed her a letter and snapped a picture, in a public location near the tournament on Monday.
Dubai police reported that the man was held before Raducanu opted not to pursue legal action.
“Following Raducanu’s report, Dubai Police detained a visitor who approached her, left her a note, took her photo, and engaged in actions that caused her distress,” a police declaration stated.
“While Raducanu later chose to withdraw the case, the individual signed a formal commitment to keep his distance from her and has been barred from future events.”
What happened to Raducanu and what is ‘fixated behaviour’?
Raducanu was confronted by the man near the Dubai tournament venue on Monday—the day between her first and second rounds.
The man was deemed to have “shown fixated tendencies,” according to the WTA in a statement on Tuesday.
In psychological terms, this phrase describes obsessive, unhealthy, and unwarranted actions.
Raducanu was handed a note by the man, which insiders in Dubai informed BBC Sport included his identity and contact details, which she later opened in her accommodation.
Raducanu notified the WTA about her worries, and tournament security personnel were alerted on Tuesday afternoon.
However, the man was still able to access the compact arena where Raducanu competed against Czech rival Muchova later that evening.
Raducanu became visibly shaken after spotting the man—who sources close to her said she had seen “several times before”—and almost took refuge behind the umpire’s chair in a disturbing moment.
After she informed umpire Miriam Bley about the situation, the man was escorted out by security personnel.
Raducanu managed to regain composure and continued the match, which she ultimately lost 7-6 (8-6) 6-4.
On Wednesday, having departed from Dubai, she said she was “coping well” after the “challenging situation.”
