'I could barely breathe': Emma Raducanu on seeing 'fixated' man in the crowd

Emma Raducanu revealed she experienced severe emotional distress, unable to see clearly or breathe properly when she noticed a man who was intensely focused on her during a match.

The British tennis star, who won the 2021 US Open, became upset during her match at the Dubai Championships last month due to the presence of this individual in the stands.

The spectator, who had previously approached Raducanu during the tournament, was removed from the venue after she alerted the chair umpire during her second-round match against Karolina Muchova.

Dubai police subsequently detained the individual, who signed an agreement to maintain distance from Raducanu. The WTA confirmed the person displayed obsessive behaviour.

Speaking to British journalists at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, her first competition since the event, Raducanu described her distress.

"I saw him in the 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 tears. I could barely breathe. I was like, I need to just take a breather here'."

Despite continuing after the individual's removal, Raducanu lost 7-6 6-4.

She explained that her post-match emotional response wasn't primarily due to the defeat.

Speaking to the BBC, Raducanu acknowledged that while the situation could have been handled more effectively, security measures have been enhanced.

"I'm always now very aware and not necessarily doing things on my own any more. I'm always with someone and always being watched," Raducanu told the BBC.

Previously in 2022, authorities issued a restraining order against an obsessive supporter who visited her residence three times.

Raducanu is scheduled to compete against Japan's Moyuka Uchijima, ranked 52nd globally, three positions above her, in Thursday's first round in California. The victor will face third-seeded Coco Gauff, as the top 32 players receive automatic advancement to round two.