New footage shows moment Emma Raducanu spots ‘fixated’ man in crowd – before ‘spectator escorted out’

New footage shows moment Emma Raducanu spots ‘fixated’ man in crowd – before ‘spectator escorted out’
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New footage shows moment Emma Raducanu spots ‘fixated’ man in crowd – before ‘spectator escorted out’
Author: Ed Southgate
Published: Feb, 20 2025 14:50

THIS is the moment a man is removed from his front-row seat after tennis ace Emma Raducanu broke down over a "fixated" spectator. Footage showed the Brit star, 22, cower behind the umpire's chair and look towards the stands. A man is seen being walked out of his front-row seat by a security guard.

 [Tennis player on court.]
Image Credit: The Sun [Tennis player on court.]

It is not known whether this man had anything to do with Raducanu's emotional response. A separate clip appears to show Emma walking over to her coaching staff to tell them something is wrong during her second-round match of the Dubai Tennis Championships on Tuesday.

 [Spectators watching a tennis match.]
Image Credit: The Sun [Spectators watching a tennis match.]

An audience member claimed they heard her team tell her "okay, we will sort it" before they alerted security. They told The Sun: "All we noticed was that a man was sitting in the front row and he looking towards Emma. "She was very close to him when serving from that end.

 [DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - FEBRUARY 18: Emma Raducanu of Great Britain looks on while playing against Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic in their second round match during day three of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, part of the Hologic WTA Tour at Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium on February 18, 2025 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Christopher Pike/Getty Images)]
Image Credit: The Sun [DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - FEBRUARY 18: Emma Raducanu of Great Britain looks on while playing against Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic in their second round match during day three of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, part of the Hologic WTA Tour at Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium on February 18, 2025 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Christopher Pike/Getty Images)]

"She then reported it to her team. "We did hear the team say 'okay we will sort it' and there was communication between them and the security. "I think the day before he had acted in a weird way towards her. "She appeared very upset and was crying near the umpire's chair.

 [A female tennis player wiping her face with a towel.]
Image Credit: The Sun [A female tennis player wiping her face with a towel.]

"Until he was ejected she could not settle and kept looking over towards him. "She must have been very frightened given her previous experiences with a stalker.". The official account of the Government of Dubai Media Office posted on X: "Dubai authorities have taken swift action to address an incident involving British tennis star Emma Raducanu, in accordance with local legal protocols.

 [Tennis umpire reviewing a call with a player.]
Image Credit: The Sun [Tennis umpire reviewing a call with a player.]

"Following Raducanu’s complaint, Dubai Police detained a tourist who approached her, left her a note, took her photograph, and engaged in behaviour that caused her distress during the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. "While Raducanu later chose to drop the charges, the individual signed a formal undertaking to maintain distance from her and has been banned from future tournaments.

 [Tennis umpire on a chair talking on a phone, a player standing nearby.]
Image Credit: The Sun [Tennis umpire on a chair talking on a phone, a player standing nearby.]

"Dubai remains committed to ensuring the safety and security of all residents and visitors to the emirate.". Emma broke down in tears by the umpire just minutes into the match before hiding behind the high chair and looking over at the stands. Friends said she was "startled" having seen the man several times before.

 [Emma Raducanu reacting during a tennis match.]
Image Credit: The Sun [Emma Raducanu reacting during a tennis match.]

It emerged yesterday that he reportedly gave Emma a letter at her hotel the previous day. And today it was revealed that beefed up security was already in place for the British No. 2. Efforts were made before her match to identify the man and dedicated security escorted her to and from the court and remained at the court throughout.

 [Emma Raducanu serving a tennis ball.]
Image Credit: The Sun [Emma Raducanu serving a tennis ball.]

It is expected these measures will remain over the coming months. Fans nonetheless slammed the event's security, which should have been beefed up following to tennis star Monica Seles getting stabbed by an obsessed spectator at a match in Hamburg in 1993.

 [Amrit Magar leaving court after sentencing for stalking.]
Image Credit: The Sun [Amrit Magar leaving court after sentencing for stalking.]

One said: "Hope at least after this they take the security seriously, especially in WTA events.". Emma has previously had a stalking hell. In 2022 she told how she was "constantly looking over her shoulder" after stalker Amrit Magar, 35, walked 23 miles to her home in South east London.

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