Playing tennis at the highest level on the world stage is difficult. Being a woman who's had a stalker is also hard.
Tennis player Emma Raducanu is familiar with both, which was unfortunately demonstrated during the recent Dubai Championships. Raducanu spotted a man who she reported was a fan who had stalked her before.
She took an unscheduled break and approached the umpire in tears, first conversing with them and then sequestering herself in the small space behind the official's chair.
You can watch the video here.
After a break, and the expulsion of a fan whom the Women's Tennis Association later characterized as "a man who exhibited fixated behavior," Raducanu returned to the match.
She eventually lost the match to 14th seed Karolina Muchova, who had also come over during the unscheduled break to console Raducanu.
There was no immediate commentary or explanation on the day of the event, and it left tennis fans perplexed and concerned.
The Women's Tennis Association posted clarification a day later for everyone who was worried for the tennis star.
Raducanu later thanked her fans for their messages of support, and thanked Muchova for carrying on with the match.
Folks took the time to point out how unusually vulnerable tennis stars are.
Some people took issue with the way the WTA chose to phrase their description of the man.
People recalled a similar event with Monica Seles, another women's tennis player who was stabbed in the back during a match by an obsessed fan of a rival player.
Seles' professional tennis career, which made her one of the greats, was never the same after recovering from that attack.
Folks were happy that Raducanu's fears were addressed, but felt the WTA could be better about player security.
Raducanu is next set to appear at the Indian Wells Open in the USA in early March 2025.
