DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Concern over a person who’d exhibited “fixated behavior” triggered Emma Raducanu to method the chair umpire in tears and take an unscheduled break in her second-round match on the Dubai Championships, the Girls’s Tennis Affiliation mentioned Wednesday.
There’d been no rapid clarification Tuesday when the 2021 U.S. Open champion walked to the umpire after the second recreation, mentioned just a few phrases after which stood in a small house between the again of the official’s chair and barrier netting adjoining to Courtroom 2.
Raducanu, who was nonetheless a teen in 2022 when a man in Britain was convicted of stalking her at her household house the earlier 12 months, returned to play after a quick delay at 2-0 down and eventually lost 7-6 (6), 6-4 to 14th-seeded Karolina Muchova.
On Wednesday, the WTA issued a statement explaining that Raducanu was approached in a public house Monday “by a person who exhibited fixated conduct” and “this similar particular person was recognized within the first few rows throughout Emma’s match on Tuesday … and subsequently ejected.”
“He might be banned from all WTA occasions pending a menace evaluation.”
The chair umpire referred to as event organizers instantly when Raducanu reported her considerations within the first set of the night time match, and Muchova walked over to console the 22-year-old British participant.
Raducanu then picked up a towel, wiped her face, nodded and continued the match. She didn’t instantly touch upon the incident.
The WTA mentioned it was working with Raducanu and her staff “to make sure her well-being and supply any needed help.”
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Raducanu rose to fame in 2021 by profitable the U.S. Open as a qualifier, one of many probably the most unlikely achievements in tennis. She hasn’t superior previous the third spherical at a significant since then and has spent lengthy stints recovering from accidents.
