Emma Raducanu has removed her Instagram profile a few weeks after a frightening stalking experience.
The British tennis player endured weeks of distress when she became the target of a stalker during the Dubai Open in February. The individual, described as an overly attached fan, caused significant concern.
The 22-year-old tennis star became tearful when she noticed the stalker early in her match. Her former coach mentioned that the stalker had followed her for approximately 3,600 miles.
Raducanu identified the man, who had previously approached her in public, leading to his removal by security and subsequent arrest by Dubai Police as she was visibly upset.
Although Raducanu decided not to press charges, the man received a restraining order, prohibiting him from contacting her and banning him from future WTA events.
The British No.2 female tennis player returned to the court at the Indian Wells Masters in California, USA, emphasizing her desire to continue competing without a break.
Raducanu participated in the WTA 1000 tournament with increased security measures due to the stalking incident that had been ongoing for three months.
However, she was defeated in the first round by Moyuka Uchijima.
Recently, Raducanu faced criticism for allegedly violating Wimbledon`s dress code during a practice session, reportedly wearing pink attire instead of the required white.
Following these events, Raducanu has chosen to deactivate her Instagram account, where she had a substantial following of three million.
The reason for deactivating her account is not explicitly stated, leaving it unclear whether it is directly related to the stalking ordeal or another factor.
Prior to deactivation, Raducanu had updated her Instagram bio to “Ad astra per aspera,” a Latin phrase meaning “to the stars through hardships.”
The upcoming WTA event is the Miami Open. Raducanu, who withdrew from the 2024 tournament due to injury, is expected to participate this year.
