Emma Raducanu, the British tennis sensation, has recently deleted her Instagram account. This decision comes weeks after she endured a distressing stalking incident.
During the Dubai Open in February, Raducanu became the target of a stalker, described as a “fixated” individual. This ordeal caused her significant distress over several weeks.
The tennis star was visibly upset when she identified the stalker just moments into her match. Her former coach revealed that the individual had followed her for an extensive distance of 3,600 miles.
Raducanu alerted security to the man, who had previously approached her the day before in a public area. He was subsequently removed by security and apprehended by Dubai Police as she was seen crying behind the umpire`s chair.
Although Raducanu decided not to press charges, the individual was issued a restraining order, prohibiting him from contacting the tennis player and banning him from future WTA events.
Despite the unsettling experience, the British No. 2 returned to the court at the Indian Wells Masters in California, demonstrating her commitment to competition.
Prior to deactivating her account, Raducanu had updated her Instagram bio to “Ad astra per aspera,” a Latin phrase meaning “to the stars through hardships.”
It remains unclear if her decision to delete Instagram is directly related to the stalking incident or for other personal reasons. Her Instagram account had a significant following of three million users.
The next major WTA event is the Miami Open. While Raducanu withdrew from the 2024 Miami Open due to injury, she is expected to participate in this year`s tournament.
