Mirra Andreeva recalls disturbing message from fan threatening to ‘cut her arms’ after Emma Raducanu’s stalker incident

A man displaying fixated behavior was escorted out of the crowd during Emma Raducanu’s second-round match at the Dubai Open.

Mirra Andreeva is competing in the Dubai Tennis Championships, where the 12th seed cruised into the quarterfinals with a dominant 6-1, 6-1 victory over America’s Peyton Stearns. After her win, Andreeva spoke about the unsettling security incident that occurred during Emma Raducanu’s match, addressing the concerns surrounding the situation.

On Tuesday, February 18, Emma Raducanu faced Karolina Muchova in the second round of the WTA 1000 event. However, the match took an emotional turn when Raducanu broke down in tears after spotting a spectator who had displayed fixated behavior the previous day. She briefly hid behind the umpire’s chair before wiping away her tears, visibly shaken by the situation.

The man was removed from the court by police, and after Raducanu’s 7-6(6), 6-4 loss, the WTA announced a ban preventing him from attending any tournaments. Following the unsettling experience, Raducanu reassured fans on Instagram, stating that she would be okay. Meanwhile, after her win over Stearns, Mirra Andreeva reflected on a disturbing message she received when she was just 14 years old.

” I remember once when I was young when I was 14 years old, I was playing one of my first ITF tournaments and I received a message after my loss that, ‘Look around, because I’m going to find you and I’m going to cut your arms”

Mirra Andreeva said at the press conference

Despite the unsettling incident, Andreeva expressed that she feels safe at tournaments due to the strong security presence and the protection provided by guards. She also thanked the organizers for their dedication to player safety. The 17-year-old Russian now prepares for a tough quarterfinal clash against World No. 2 Iga Świątek, who has also faced issues with a stalker in the past.

Emma Raducanu’s stalker’s name passed on to Wimbledon

The identity of Emma Raducanu’s stalker has not been publicly revealed. However, Wimbledon was informed about the individual and promptly added him to a watchlist for fixated persons to ensure heightened security.

We are aware there are a number of fixated individuals who follow players around the world and we work to ensure the players are protected at all times when in the All England Club Grounds.

Wimbledon spokesperson stated (H/T: Daily Mail)

Emma Raducanu has yet to claim a WTA title since her remarkable triumph at the 2021 US Open. Last year, she competed in fewer than 15 tournaments but has since committed to increasing her tournament schedule.

The Dubai Open marked Raducanu’s fifth tournament of the season. After her Australian Open exit, the 22-year-old endured three consecutive first-round defeats. However, she ended that streak with an impressive first-round victory over Maria Sakkari in Dubai.

Katie Boulter suffers shock new blow as worrying trend with fiancee Alex de Minaur continues

The tennis stars often face challenges whenever they compete in tournaments simultaneously.

Katie Boulter faced a surprising first-round exit at the Miami Open, raising further concerns about a potential trend involving her fiancé, Alex de Minaur. The British player fell 4-6, 2-6 to rising American talent Peyton Stearns on Wednesday, despite Stearns being ranked slightly lower.

This loss follows both Boulter and de Minaur’s early eliminations at Indian Wells last week, adding to a concerning dip in form for the Australian star. The Miami Open and Indian Wells provide rare occasions where the couple competes in the same location, as both ATP and WTA events run simultaneously.

This typically happens only at Grand Slams and select 1000-level tournaments. De Minaur and Boulter had high hopes for a strong campaign in the Californian desert, but both left with disappointment instead.

Boulter exited in the second round after falling to World No. 7 Elena Rybakina, marking her return from a foot injury that had sidelined her since the Australian Open. Meanwhile, De Minaur had a stronger run, reaching the fourth round, but his campaign ended in an unexpected loss to 25th-ranked Francisco Cerúndolo.

De Minaur was favored to defeat his Argentine opponent, having previously beaten him in four sets at the Australian Open in January. However, Cerúndolo turned the tables with a 7-5, 6-3 upset, keeping De Minaur from reaching the Indian Wells quarterfinals once again.

As the men’s event begins on Friday, De Minaur will aim for a stronger performance in Miami. Meanwhile, Boulter’s campaign has already come to an early end following her first-round defeat.

Performance level 💯@peyton_stearns is into the second round after defeating Boulter in straight sets. #MiamiOpen pic.twitter.com/TOHCQBxjMP

— wta (@WTA) March 19, 2025

Alex de Minaur going through worrying form slump

De Minaur’s recent struggles have seen him slip in the rankings from No. 6 to No. 11. His form had been promising earlier in the season, as he reached his first-ever Australian Open quarterfinal and later made the final in Rotterdam, where he fell to Carlos Alcaraz.

His performance has dipped over the past month. He made a surprising choice to skip defending his title at the Mexican Open, a tournament he won in both 2023 and 2024. Instead, he opted to compete in consecutive events in Doha and Dubai, aiming to secure more ranking points and a share of the $10 million prize pool.

However, the move did not pay off as expected. He suffered a quarterfinal exit in Doha and an early second-round loss in Dubai, resulting in a drop in his ranking. His decision to forgo the Mexican Open may have also been influenced by Boulter’s participation in Doha and Dubai, but that plan fell apart when his fiancée withdrew due to injury.