"I don't go out" - Emma Raducanu gets emotional opening up on terrifying Dubai stalker experience that left lasting scars

Emma Raducanu hasn’t had it easy in recent months, especially after the frightening stalker incident in Dubai. She admitted it left a deep impact on her, to the point where she no longer feels comfortable going out alone and has cut down on how often she does.

During her second-round match at the 2025 Dubai Tennis Championships, Raducanu spotted a man in the crowd showing what officials called “fixated behaviour.” Clearly shaken, she walked to the umpire’s chair in tears, saying she was struggling to breathe and couldn’t see the ball properly. Play was briefly stopped before security stepped in and removed the man from the venue.

The same man had reportedly followed her across several tournaments, including Singapore, Abu Dhabi, Doha, and Dubai. Before the match, he even approached her at a coffee shop and handed her a letter.

Speaking about how tough the experience was, Emma Raducanu told The Guardian:

"After the Dubai incident, that was probably the worst [public attention] I’ve had. I remember straight afterwards, I found it very difficult going out. I definitely had a bit of a leftover lag effect. But I’ve been a lot more astute, a lot more, I’d say, safe and I have someone with me."

"I don’t really go out on my own as much. No solo walks. Just always having someone watching my back," she added.

Police eventually detained the man, and while Raducanu chose not to press charges, he was made to sign a formal undertaking to stay away from her. He has since been banned from attending all WTA tournaments.

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A look into WTA's statement about Emma Raducanu's stalker controversy in Dubai

Emma Raducanu pictured at a press conference | Image Source: Getty

Emma Raducanu’s stalker scare at the 2025 Dubai Tennis Championships came as a huge shock to her, leaving her shaken and feeling the situation could have been handled better by officials. While the WTA called the incident very unfortunate and stressed that they did their best to manage it, they maintained it was not a "security failure" on their part.

WTA CEO Portia said:

"The WTA has invested a great deal of resources into the safety and wellbeing of our players and it's a priority for the organization."

"I wouldn't call it a security failure at all. As soon as we became aware of the threat, we acted immediately. But we will look at ways to improve," she added.

This wasn’t Emma Raducanu’s first time dealing with a stalker. Back in 2022, a man named Amrit Magar repeatedly turned up at her London home, leaving gifts and notes. The experience left her feeling unsafe, and he was later given a five-year restraining order along with community service.