The disturbing stalking experience faced by British tennis star Emma Raducanu has intensified after the individual was found attempting to secure tickets for the prestigious Wimbledon tournament.
The security system at the All England Club successfully flagged the man`s name, acting on information provided by the tennis star`s team who had previously reported him.
This incident follows a deeply upsetting event during the Dubai Tennis Championship, where Raducanu was seen hiding in fear after encountering her stalker.
A source from the All England Club confirmed that the man, known to have pursued Raducanu across four different countries, had submitted an application to the public ballot for Wimbledon tickets last year, prior to the distressing incident in Dubai in February.
After the events in Dubai, the All England Club promptly removed his name from the list of ballot applicants.
Reports indicate that he did not try to apply for tickets again subsequent to being served with a restraining order.
The All England Club`s security system effectively prevented the stalker`s entry into the public ticket ballot by identifying and red-flagging his submitted details.
At the Dubai Tennis Championship in February, Raducanu was visibly emotional and reportedly suffered a panic attack upon spotting the man in the crowd. He had been following her at multiple tournaments globally.
The individual was removed from the venue premises. It emerged that the day before, he had approached Raducanu at the player hotel, handed her a letter, and requested a photograph in a coffee shop, which reportedly left her feeling uneasy.
She had previously spotted the man at tournaments held in Singapore, Abu Dhabi, and Doha.
Raducanu initially informed her team about the man, but this information was reportedly not conveyed to the Women`s Tennis Association until the next day.
Similarly, the organizers of the Dubai Tournament were not made aware of the individual`s presence or Raducanu`s concerns until the day following the encounter at the hotel.
During the match itself, the British player hid herself behind the umpire`s chair after seeing the individual displaying what she described as “fixated behaviour.”
Raducanu`s distressed reaction and attempt to hide raised concerns among spectators watching the match.
The man was subsequently removed from the crowd and taken from the stands by local police for detention.
Speaking to reporters after the match, Raducanu recounted the traumatic experience: “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. I was like, `I need to just take a breather.`”
Wimbledon`s security measures are subject to routine review, with approximately 1,000 security personnel employed during the Championships.
Beyond the screening process for the ballot, which proved effective in identifying Raducanu`s stalker, additional checks are implemented to screen individuals accessing the grounds through the public queue.
All individuals granted entry to the championship grounds must register with Wimbledon and provide personal details.
Authorities did not publicly disclose the name of Raducanu`s stalker following the incident in Dubai.
The difficult experience undergone by the British tennis star has drawn significant attention to the security concerns and issues faced by female athletes in professional tennis.
This is not the first stalking incident Raducanu has faced. In 2022, she reported feeling “constantly looking over her shoulder” after Amrit Magar, 35, traveled approximately 23 miles to her home in South East London. Magar was given a five-year restraining order after incidents that included taking her father`s shoe and leaving gifts and notes for the young player.
