Dubai police have stated that a man has been detained and issued a restraining order for displaying "obsessive behavior" towards British tennis player Emma Raducanu. The man approached Raducanu while she was participating in the Dubai Tennis Championships, causing her distress.
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02-23, 2025Raducanu was visibly unsettled during her second-round match on Tuesday, and was seen crouching behind the umpire's chair during the second set of her match against Karolina Muchova. It was reported that Raducanu spotted the man during the match, sitting in the front rows of the stands.
The man allegedly approached the 22-year-old player in a public area near the competition venue on Monday, handing her a letter and taking a photo. Dubai police stated that the man was detained before Raducanu decided not to press charges.
A police statement read: "Following a complaint from Raducanu, Dubai Police detained a tourist who approached her, left her a note, took a picture of her, and engaged in behavior that made her feel uneasy." The statement also noted: "Although Raducanu later chose to drop the charges, the man signed a formal undertaking guaranteeing to stay away from her and was banned from attending future matches."
The Women's Tennis Association (WTA) said in a statement on Tuesday that the man was deemed to be "displaying obsessive behavior." In psychology, this term is used to describe obsessive, unhealthy, and unwanted behavior. Raducanu received a letter from the man, which, according to Dubai sources speaking to BBC Sport, included his name and phone number, and which Raducanu opened at her hotel.
Raducanu reported her concerns to the WTA, and the event's security team was notified on Tuesday afternoon. However, the man was still able to enter the small stadium where Raducanu played her match against Czech opponent Muchova. Sources said that Raducanu was very agitated after seeing the man, whom she had previously seen "several times," and the scene of her almost hiding behind the umpire's chair was unsettling. After telling umpire Miriam Bley what the problem was, the man was taken away by security.
Raducanu managed to regain her composure and continue the match, eventually losing 7-6 (8-6) and 6-4. On Wednesday, after leaving Dubai, she said she was "okay" in the "difficult circumstances."
