Emma Raducanu will have beefed up security for her next tennis event.
Should the 22-year-old Briton compete at Indian Wells next week, she will have her security overseen by a former US secret service agent.
Security concerns around Raducanu have heightened after she was the target of “fixated behaviour” from a man during the Dubai Championships last week.
The unknown individual first approached Raducanu at a public cafe near the tournament hotel, he handed her a letter containing his personal details and took a photograph.
Tournament organisers in Dubai were informed hours before Raducanu’s second round match against Karolina Muchova.
In the early stages of the game, Raducanu became visibly upset and hid behind the umpire’s chair after spotting the same man in the stands.
The individual was then ejected and detained by Dubai police before being released and issued a restraining order, after Raducanu chose not to press charges.
Raducanu, who is currently in the United Kingdom, is due to play in California at the prestigious WTA 1000 tournament, Indian Wells.
The tournament has long been considered as the unofficial fifth major and despite the incident in Dubai, it is expected she will participate.
Indian Wells offers higher ranking points compared to other events on the tour and has prize money of up to £952,000 for the champion.
Even those who lose their first-round match receive a cheque for £20,000.
Extra work is being done to ensure Raducanu feels safe while in California with the WTA Tour’s vice-president of safety, Bob Campbell, in charge of ensuring arrangements are made.
Campbell is an experienced security professional, he was a United States’ secret service agent for 20 years and understood as having an important role during Bill Clinton’s presidency.
In an effort to ensure her safety, Raducanu is expected to be offered up to five extra security guards while on site at Indian Wells and it is possible she will accompanied by them off-site as well.
Raducanu’s management company, IMG, could hire private security for her for the first time since she has been on tour.
The 2021 US Open champion, has reportedly turned down private security in the past when in 2022 a man was convicted and handed a five-year restraining order for stalking her outside her home.
It is claimed by her childhood coach Roman Kelecic that the man given a restraining order in Dubai had followed her across four countries for three weeks, also attending tournaments in Singapore, Abu Dhabi and Doha.
“This man followed her to Singapore, to Abu Dhabi, where I was with her, again in Doha, now in Dubai and we noticed him,” Kelecic told the Croatian outlet Net.
“But, initially, we thought he was a fan, an admirer, because Emma is a really big tennis star with a huge fanbase. Until he got physically close to her, started having contact in the form of selfies, hugging etc.”
Raducanu’s participation in Indian Wells is expected to be confirmed soon.
