Emma Raducanu, the young British tennis sensation, has reactivated her Instagram account after a challenging period both on and off the court. The 22-year-old, who gained significant attention for winning the US Open at just 18, has faced several difficulties recently.
Raducanu encountered a disturbing situation with a stalker during the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship, which added to her stress. This incident was compounded by a disappointing performance at Indian Wells, where she was eliminated in the first round by Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima, losing in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2. Following the stalker incident, Raducanu temporarily deleted her Instagram account but returned after a two-day hiatus.
In a report, Raducanu opened up about her distressing experience in Dubai, noting how the presence of the stalker affected her performance against Karolina Muchova in the second round. She shared that she was overwhelmed with emotion, stating, “I was obviously very distraught. I saw him in the first game of the match and thought, I don’t know how I’m going to finish. I literally couldn’t see the ball through tears. I could barely breathe.” She expressed the need to take a moment to collect herself during the match and admitted to breaking down in tears afterward, not solely due to her loss, but because of the emotional toll of recent events. Raducanu acknowledged that the situation could have been handled better and mentioned that she feels much improved after taking some time to regroup.