Dubai authorities detained a man who harassed the British tennis star Emma Raducanu during a major tournament this week.
The government on Thursday evening said an individual was held for questioning by Dubai Police. He was described as a “tourist”, although no further details about his identity were given.
The arrest came after the 22-year-old player was approached by the suspect on Monday, reportedly in her hotel. Then, a day later, in her match Czech player Karolina Muchova at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, she broke down in tears on court, having spotted the same man in the crowd.
Dubai Government Media Office said authorities had taken “swift action” to detain the person.
“Following Raducanu’s complaint, Dubai Police detained a tourist who approached her, left her a note, took her photograph, and engaged in behaviour that caused her distress during the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships,” it said.
“While Raducanu later chose to drop the charges, the individual signed a formal undertaking to maintain distance from her and has been banned from future tournaments.
“Dubai remains committed to ensuring the safety and security of all residents and visitors to the emirate.”
Raducanu breaking down in tears was captured by television cameras on Tuesday night. But the reason for the incident was not known until the next day, when the World Tennis Association issued a statement. It said the man “exhibited fixated behaviour” that left the star in distress and he was ejected from the stadium.
On Wednesday, Raducanu posted on Instagram: “Thank you for the messages of support. Difficult experience yesterday but I'll be OK and proud of how I came back and competed despite what happened at the start of the match.”
World number two Iga Swiatek said it was the WTA’s responsibility to ensure player safety at tournaments and was pleased to see the tour’s swift reaction. Other players also expressed their support for Raducanu and backed the authorities' swift response.
Raducanu was trailing 2-0 in the first set when she broke down in tears. She fought back from 4-0 down to force a tie break, though in the end lost the match in two sets.