British tennis player Emma Raducanu has expressed caution about going out since her traumatic stalking experience in Dubai.
The 22-year-old star became visibly distressed and was seen in tears on court during her match against Karolina Muchova in Dubai after an obsessed individual approached her.
The man, reported to have followed Raducanu approximately 3,600 miles across Singapore, Abu Dhabi, Doha, and Dubai, was subsequently served with a restraining order.
Raducanu is now preparing for her first tournament on home soil since the distressing event, competing in the HSBC Championships at Queen`s this week.
Reflecting on the incident in Dubai, the former US Open champion told the BBC: “I`ve definitely noticed a difference in how people are watching my back when I`m on the site.” She continued, “I`m obviously wary when I go out. I try not to be careless about it because you only realise how much of a problem it is when you`re in that situation and I don`t necessarily want to be in that situation again.”
She added about her current state, “But off the court right now, I feel good. I feel pretty settled. I feel like I have good people around me and anything that was kind of negative I`m just like trying to brush it off as much as I can.”
Raducanu is scheduled to play this week as women`s tennis makes its return to the historic Queen`s Club in West London for the first time since 1973.
The world number 37 is set to face qualifier Cristina Bucsa in the opening round on Tuesday.
She is also planning a rare appearance in doubles, partnering with her British teammate Katie Boulter.
Raducanu has received a boost with the return of her former coach, Nick Cavaday.
The pair had temporarily ceased working together earlier this year while Cavaday dealt with a health issue.
Following a brief collaboration with Vlado Platenik, Raducanu reconnected with another previous coach, Mark Petchey.
Ahead of the Queen`s tournament, Raducanu confirmed her intention to work with both Cavaday and Petchey moving forward.
She stated, “I`m happy to see Nick healthy. It`s been a long time since we were last on court together in Australia. Nick was around, and it was nice to just have a few days with him and they`ll both be helping me.”
She added, “They both have banks of experience and can complement each other really well. I trust them both and that is fundamental.”
Raducanu, who was defeated by Iga Swiatek in the second round of Roland Garros, has performed well on grass previously. However, she is managing her expectations for the upcoming matches due to a recent injury concern.
`MY EXPECTATIONS, TRUTHFULLY, ARE PRETTY LOW`
The British number two commented, “Of course you want to win the tournament, especially when it`s at home.” She clarified, “But my expectations, truthfully, are pretty low.”
She explained her preparation challenges: “I had two days off after I finished in Paris and then got straight back on the court. But I had a small interruption with a back spasm again, so that was a bit annoying and hindered my grass preparation.”
She concluded, “It kept me off court for a few days although the last few days I`ve managed to get on the grass and begin to try and feel my feet. So I don`t know how it will hold up. I can`t really predict the future or how it`s going to be.”
Following Queen`s, Raducanu`s next scheduled event is in Eastbourne, set to begin on June 23.
She will then head to Wimbledon hoping for a strong performance, having reached the fourth round last year before a challenging loss to qualifier Lulu Sun.
