British tennis sensation Emma Raducanu has publicly condemned the actions of 'creepy' photographers, following a deeply distressing stalking incident that left her in tears on court earlier this year.
The Terrifying Stalking Incident in Dubai
The 23-year-old US Open champion was targeted by a man who displayed what authorities termed 'fixated behaviour' during the Dubai Tennis Championships in February 2025. Raducanu became visibly upset during a match after spotting the individual in the crowd, an experience she found profoundly unsettling.
It was later revealed that the man had followed Raducanu to four consecutive tournaments. The day before the Dubai match, he approached her in a coffee shop, handed her a letter, and requested a photograph. Dubai police subsequently issued a restraining order against him, though this did not prevent him from attempting to purchase tickets for Wimbledon.
Roman Kelecic, Raducanu's coach at the time, explained the escalating nature of the behaviour. "Initially we thought he was a fan," Kelecic said. "That changed when he got physically close to her, initiated contact for selfies, and even hugged her. The terrifying part is how much he had evidently thought about and planned it all."
Moving Forward and New Anxieties
Speaking from the National Tennis Centre, where she has begun her pre-season training, Raducanu stated she has largely ‘got over’ the Dubai incident and no longer feels she is hiding. However, she admitted to new unease caused by clandestine paparazzi activity.
"What did creep me out was I saw a photo of myself in London, and I didn't see the paparazzi taking it," Raducanu revealed. "I was with my two best friends. I just didn't see them. That's obviously creepy, when you think: I didn't see them – how did they get this photo?"
She credited her enhanced security team, which was increased after the stalking episode, for helping her regain a sense of safety, noting that "someone's always watching my back."
Finding Comfort in Public Spaces
Despite the ordeal, Raducanu is growing more comfortable being seen in public. She described the anonymity she often finds in busy London settings. "In rush hour, people are so locked into their own world," she observed. "They're not really paying attention and probably not expecting to see me either. I have my hood up, but they're just so focused."
Reflecting on the immediate impact of the stalker, Raducanu shared the emotional toll it took during her match. "I was obviously very distraught," she said. "I saw him in the first game and I didn't know how I was going to finish. I literally couldn't see the ball through tears. I could barely breathe."
Now, with a renewed perspective, she concludes, "If people recognise me and want to come up to me, that's great, but I don't necessarily feel like I'm hiding from anything anymore."
