Emma Raducanu opens up on terrifying stalker ordeal: 'I could barely breathe'

In her first press conference since the incident, Raducanu has admitted that it has affected her daily life although she is determined to continue "doing what I love to do".

The 2021 US Open winner faced Karolina Muchova in the second round of the Dubai Tennis Championships on 18 February and she noticed the man very early on during the encounter.

After two completed games, a visibly emotional Raducanu went over to the chair umpire to inform the official about the stalker and then went to cower behind the umpire's chair.

The man was removed by security and Raducanu managed to complete the match with the WTA later issuing a press release that stated "a man who exhibited fixated behaviour" was ejected from the venue.

He has since been handed a restraining order and banned from future tournaments, and Dubai authorities have confirmed that the man "approached her, left her a note, took her photograph, and engaged in behaviour that caused her distress during the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships".

But it was a harrowing experience for the 22-year-old as she revealed to The Athletic: "I was obviously very distraught. I saw him first game of the match, and I was like: 'I don't know how I'm going to finish.'

"I literally couldn't see the ball through the tears, I could barely breathe. I was playing Karolina, who's like top 17 in the world or something, and I can't see the ball. Then the first four games kind of ran away from me because I was not on the court, to be honest. I'm not really sure how I regrouped."

She added: "It was a very emotional time. After the match I did break down in tears, but not necessarily because I lost. There was just so much emotion in the last few weeks of the events happening, and I just needed that week off to take a breather and come here. I feel a lot better."

After spending the last few weeks back home in England with her parents, Raducanu is ready to step back on court at the Indian Wells Open.

She will get her campaign underway on Thursday against Moyuka Uchijima and she has a defiant message to the man who has caused her a lot of distress.

"There's a part of you that thinks, 'I'm not gonna let a middle-aged creep stop me doing what I love to do,'" the world No 55 said. "I'm here because I feel a lot better now.

"A lot happened obviously after Dubai, so I just needed to kind of take my time after. I think the allure of Indian Wells being my favourite tournament, I just couldn't really step away from it."

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