"I could barely breathe" - Emma Raducanu relives horrifying stalker scare in Dubai that left her in tears

Modified Mar 05, 2025 17:12 GMT

Emma Raducanu opened up about the terrifying stalker incident at the 2025 Dubai Tennis Championships. She revealed how she could barely breathe upon sensing the man's presence.

After defeating Maria Sakkari in the opening round of Dubai, Raducanu faced Karolina Muchova next. She lost the match 6-7(6), 4-6, and at one point appeared to have a panic attack, stopping play and hiding behind the umpire’s chair in fear before breaking down in tears.

Raducanu's unease stemmed from a man in the stands who approached her, left a note, took her picture, and displayed unsettling behavior. Reports suggest he had been trailing her since the Singapore Open, following her to Abu Dhabi, Doha, and eventually Dubai.

The Brit revisited that experience during an interview with Sky Sports in California, where she is preparing for the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. She said:

"I was obviously very distraught. I saw him in the first game of the match, and I was like, 'I don't know how I am going to finish.' I literally couldn't see the ball through tears. I could barely breathe. I was like, 'I need to just take a breather here.'"

Raducanu was initially unsure about competing in the WTA 1000 tournament, still shaken by the incident. However, she later changed her mind and decided to travel to Palm Springs.

Emma Raducanu: "They were very emotional weeks...it had carried on for a few weeks before"

Emma Raducanu pictured at the 2025 Australian Open | Image Source: Getty

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Pritha is one of the driving forces behind Sportskeeda's tennis & baseball coverage, serving as an assistant content manager and editor. What began as a casual escape from her tiring biotechnology degree course in early 2022 has blossomed into a passion she loves, cherishes, and breathes every day.

Pritha’s love for the sport was spawned by her dad who showed her clips of "GOAT" Steffi Graf’s matches. Despite a thwarted dream of playing professionally due to injury, she finds solace in reporting the sport, while also mentoring other writers to ensure every article is error-free and top-notch. She double checks credible sources, such as the tournament/player handles and big tennis media outlets, and gives proper credit where required.

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Edited by Pritha Ghosh