As the tennis world gears up for the 2025 Wimbledon Championships, British star Emma Raducanu has expressed profound relief and gratitude for the tournament’s robust security measures, which recently prevented a man who had been stalking her from securing tickets through the public ballot. The 22-year-old, whose meteoric rise to fame began with her 2021 US Open triumph, faced a harrowing ordeal earlier this year when the individual pursued her across four tournaments, culminating in a distressing incident at the Dubai Tennis Championships. “Wimbledon and everyone did an amazing job. I got a notification, the police contacted me and told me everything was OK,” Raducanu shared, her words reflecting a renewed sense of security as she prepares to compete on the hallowed grass courts starting June 30.
The disturbing saga began in February, when Raducanu noticed the man, described as exhibiting “fixated behaviour,” at events in Singapore, Abu Dhabi, Doha, and Dubai. The situation escalated in Dubai, where he approached her near the player hotel, handing her a letter and requesting a photo. The following day, during her second-round match against Karolina Muchova, Raducanu spotted him in the stands, leaving her in tears and struggling to continue. “I saw him in the first game of the match and I was like, ‘I don’t know how I’m going to finish.’ I literally couldn’t see the ball through tears. I could barely breathe,” she recounted, her voice heavy with the emotional toll. She hid behind the umpire’s chair as security intervened, and Dubai police issued a restraining order, banning him from all WTA events and circulating his name among tennis authorities.
Wimbledon’s vigilance proved critical when the All England Club’s security system flagged the man’s name during a routine sweep of public ballot applicants. His attempt to gain entry to the Championships was swiftly blocked, a testament to the tournament’s enhanced protocols. Sally Bolton, chief executive of the All England Lawn Tennis Club, emphasized the priority placed on player safety, stating, “We’re liaising with the tours, with the Met Police, with other security agencies right through the year to think about the types of risks we need to look at.” The Championships employ nearly 1,000 security personnel, including fixated threat specialists and behavioral experts, alongside extensive CCTV coverage and targeted sweeps for high-risk players. This proactive approach reassured Raducanu, who noted, “I feel comfortable and safe. I have a lot more protection around me—especially here in the UK, where it’s busy and there’s more spectators around.”
This is not Raducanu’s first encounter with such threats. In 2022, another individual received a five-year restraining order after walking 23 miles to her home, an experience that left her feeling, “My freedom has been taken away from me. I am constantly looking over my shoulder.” The recurrence of such incidents has heightened her caution, with Raducanu admitting, “I’m always now very aware and not necessarily doing things on my own anymore. I’m always with someone and always being watched.” Her resilience shines through, however, as she continues to compete, currently at the Eastbourne Open, where she faced American Ann Li in a bid to sharpen her grass-court game before Wimbledon.
Raducanu’s ordeal resonates beyond her personal experience, highlighting a broader issue faced by female athletes. “I know that I am not the first athlete to go through this, and I probably won’t be the last—not just as an athlete, but females in general,” she said, echoing sentiments shared by compatriot Katie Boulter, who recently spoke out about receiving death threats and online abuse. Raducanu praised Boulter’s courage, noting, “I’m glad Katie spoke out about it because it is something that we all go through.” She has adopted a deliberate strategy to avoid negative online commentary, explaining, “I try not to read the comments or look at the messages because it makes you upset.”
As Raducanu prepares for Wimbledon, where she hopes to rediscover the form that propelled her to Grand Slam glory, the incident has cast a new light on her challenges. Persistent back spasms, which flared up in Strasbourg and required acupuncture at the French Open, have compounded a difficult season marked by coaching instability and early tournament exits. Yet, her resolve remains unbroken. “I feel a difference, and that reassures me,” she said of the enhanced security measures, which include dedicated protection officers and tailored arrangements at UK events. With Wimbledon’s comprehensive safeguards—bolstered by collaboration with the Met Police and WTA—Raducanu can focus on her game, buoyed by the knowledge that the tournament has her back. As she steps onto the grass, fans await a performance that reflects not just her talent but the strength she’s shown in the face of adversity.
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