A man who “exhibited fixated behaviour” towards British tennis player Emma Raducanu has been given a restraining order, Dubai Police have said.
Raducanu, 22, was visibly upset during a match at the Dubai Tennis Championships on Tuesday after the man was seated in the first few rows of the crowd.
He was subsequently removed from the tennis court by security.
Raducanu went on to lose the second round clash 7-6 (8-6) 6-4 to 14th seed Karolina Muchova.
A day earlier, the man had reportedly handed the star a letter.
Police said in a statement shared on social media on Thursday that the man was detained and Raducanu decided not to press charges.
Dubai Police said they have taken “swift action” in relation to the incident and have not named the man.
“Following Raducanu’s complaint, Dubai Police detained a tourist who approached her, left her a note, took her photograph, and engaged in behaviour that caused her distress,” it said.
“While Raducanu later chose to drop the charges, the individual signed a formal undertaking to maintain distance from her and has been banned from future tournaments.
“Dubai remains committed to ensuring the safety and security of all residents and visitors to the emirate.”
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The statement was posted on the Dubai Media Office’s X account.
Raducanu said in an Instagram story after the match that it was a “difficult experience”.
She wrote: “Thank you for the messages of support. Difficult experience yesterday but I’ll be okay and proud of how I came back and competed despite what happened at the start of the match.
“Thank you to Karolina [Muchova] for being a great sport and best of luck to her for the rest of the tournament.”
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Along with her message she posted an image of the Jane Austen novel Emma and a cup of coffee.
The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) previously said in a statement that the man in question, who it said had displayed “fixated behaviour”, will be “banned from all WTA events pending a threat assessment”.
“Player safety is our top priority, and tournaments are advised on security best practices for international sporting events,” the organisation said.
In 2022, a 35-year-old man was handed a five-year restraining order – after a court heard Raducanu was “constantly looking over her shoulder” and no longer felt “safe in her own home”.
Amrit Magar had walked 23 miles to Raducanu’s home and had stolen her father’s shoe as a souvenir.
Bromley Magistrates’ Court heard how Magar went to the player’s home on three separate occasions, loitered outside, left unwanted gifts and cards, and stole property from their porch.
The court also heard from Raducanu through a victim impact statement read by prosecutors – which said that her parents were “reluctant” to let her go out on her own.
