WTA to ban man after Raducanu ‘security incident’

DUBAI – Emma Raducanu was targeted by “a man who exhibited fixated behaviour” during the WTA 1000 tournament in Dubai, tennis officials said Wednesday, after the former US Open champion was reduced to tears on court.

The 22-year-old Briton was down 2-0 in the first set against Karolina Muchova on Tuesday when she approached the umpire, then briefly took refuge behind the umpire’s chair.

Muchova went over to see what was wrong before the 2021 New York champion Raducanu reappeared, wiping away tears with her towel.

The Women’s Tennis Association said it would ban the man after what it called “the security incident in Dubai.”

Meanwhile, world No.3 Coco Gauff crashed out in the second round when she was beaten 6-4, 7-5 by fellow American McCartney Kessler Tuesday.

The world No.53, who beat Doha champion Amanda Anisimova in the first round, broke Gauff’s serve three times and saved five of the six break points she faced.

The only time she slipped up came when she tried to serve out the match for the first time at 5-4 in the second set. It is the first time that Kessler, 25, has beaten a top 10 player.