Emma Raducanu praises Wimbledon after stalker blocked from buying tickets
Emma Raducanu has expressed her gratitude to Wimbledon organisers for blocking her stalker from purchasing tickets to this year's Championships, calling the move a reassurance of her safety as a professional athlete.The British tennis star had been subjected to a frightening ordeal earlier this year, after a man followed her across multiple tournaments and attempted to approach her in person. He was later handed a restraining order by Dubai police but continued to pose a threat, attempting to secure tickets to Wimbledon despite the legal restrictions.advertisementThanks to enhanced security measures at the All England Club, his name was flagged during a routine check of public ballot applicants, and his attempt to buy tickets was blocked.
"Wimbledon and everyone did an amazing job," Raducanu told the BBC. "I got a notification, the police contacted me and told me everything was OK."The 22-year-old, who had encountered the man at events in Singapore, Abu Dhabi and Doha, recalled breaking down in tears after spotting him during a match at the Dubai Championships in February. His persistent presence deeply unsettled her, leading to heightened concerns about her safety on and off the court."I know that I'm not the first athlete to go through this, and I probably won't be the last - not just as an athlete, but females in general," she said.advertisementRaducanu, who rose to global prominence with her stunning 2021 US Open triumph, said she now travels with significantly more protection, especially at major tournaments like Wimbledon."I have a lot more protection around me - especially the ones here in the UK, where it's busy and there's more spectators around. I feel a difference, and that reassures me and makes me feel more comfortable," she added.The British No.3 also praised compatriot Katie Boulter for opening up about her own experiences of online abuse, highlighting the emotional toll of toxic messages on athletes."I try and not read the comments or look at the messages because it makes you upset," Raducanu said. "It doesn't matter how many positive comments you read, you are always going to remember the more negative ones - so I just try and stay away."- Ends
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
19 minutes ago
- Time of India
Attack on London Hunting the 7/7 Bombers OTT release date: When and where to watch the true-event inspired documentary
Attack on London: Hunting The 7/7 Bombers OTT release date: Netflix has unveiled a first-look clip from Attack on London: Hunting The 7/7 Bombers, a title by The Garden Productions. The show explores one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in the UK's history. The gripping subject matter has already captured viewers' attention, and if you're curious too, here's everything you should know. What is Attack on London: Hunting The 7/7 Bombers about? Attack on London: Hunting The 7/7 Bombers recounts one of the most harrowing terrorist attacks in the UK and the intense three weeks that followed, marked by fear, confusion, and a massive manhunt that reshaped the nation. On July 7, 2005, four British nationals carried out suicide bombings on London's public transport system, killing 52 people and injuring more than 700. Just two weeks later, a failed follow-up attack set off the largest manhunt in British history, culminating in the tragic police killing of an innocent man. As the nation reeled, authorities scrambled to prevent further violence, while those directly affected struggled to make sense of the chaos. What will it feature? Featuring exclusive interviews, never-before-seen archive footage, and compelling first-hand testimonies, this powerful and immersive series offers a minute-by-minute account of the 7/7 attacks and their aftermath. Voices include survivors, families of victims, acquaintances of the bombers, police investigators, a leading explosives expert, the Prime Minister, the head of MI5, the family of Jean Charles de Menezes, key firearms officers, everyday heroes, journalists, and campaigners seeking the truth. Together, their stories reconstruct the chaos, fear, and urgency of those critical weeks, capturing the far-reaching impact of the attacks and the race to identify those responsible. Attack on London: Hunting The 7/7 Bombers release date Attack on London: Hunting The 7/7 Bombers will be released on 1st July 2025.
Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
‘Don't rush Jofra back': Vaughan says Archer needs another four-day match before England return
After England pacer Jofra Archer said he felt ready to play his first Test match in four years against India after his return to County cricket. Still, former England captain Michael Vaughan feels otherwise and says Archer should not play in the 2nd Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy Test at Edgbaston, as his return to the national side should not be rushed. 'The good thing is that Jofra is back in the equation – but I'd like to see him play another four-day game. He's not played the longer format for four years so why, on the back of one game for Sussex against Durham, would you rush him back?' said Vaughan, to the BBC. 'We know the intensity at Test-match level is so different to county cricket. Let him play another four-day game – I would go with the same line-up, as long as the bowlers are fine and there are no niggles,' he added. Archer has not played a Test match since February 2021, and his last red-ball match ahead of this game was for Sussex in May 2021 after a series of injuries kept delaying his return. The ace pacer has since returned to international white-ball cricket for England, with his last appearance coming in the ICC Champions Trophy held in Pakistan earlier this year. Archer finished with figures of 1-32 from 18 overs in Durham's first innings, but Sussex head coach Paul Farbrace has urged England to 'be careful' with the pacer. 'He bowled with good pace, good accuracy and his body's in good shape, which is fantastic,' Farbrace told BBC. 'We would all love to see Jofra playing for England because he makes England a much better team, and he would give them a much better chance of winning the big series. But let's look after him, let's be careful with him. The conversation we'd had [with England] was that he would play in this game, and then we'd reassess,' he added. 'All I will report back to them is that he bowled nicely, he looks like he's in good rhythm, he's bowled 18 overs and it's up to them whether they pick him.' Archer is among many English quicks currently out through injury, with Mark Wood, Olly Stone and Gus Atkinson all currently unavailable. Wood said he is targeting the fifth India-England Test for his potential return from injury, while Archer could make his international return for the second India-England Test.
The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
Wimbledon 2025 draw: Full list of seeded players
The draw ceremony for Wimbledon 2025 will be held in London on Friday. This year's tournament will be held from June 30 to July 13 at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. READ | Wimbledon 2025 draw ceremony: Live streaming info, ranking points, prize money details The seedings for the tournament are based on the latest rankings released on Monday. Jannik Sinner is the top seed amongst men while Aryna Sabalenka is the top-seeded women. Defending men's champion Carlos Alcaraz is seeded second while reigning women's champion Barbora Krejcikova is the 17th seed. Here is the complete list of seeded players:- Seed Men Women 1 Jannik Sinner (ITA) Aryna Sabalenka 2 Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) Coco Gauff (USA) 3 Alexander Zverev (GER) Jessica Pegula (USA) 4 Jack Draper (GBR) Jasmine Paolini (ITA) 5 Taylor Fritz (USA) Qinwen Zheng (CHN) 6 Novak Djokovic (SRB) Madison Keys (USA) 7 Lorenzo Musetti (ITA) Mirra Andreeva 8 Holger Rune (DEN) Iga Swiatek (POL) 9 Daniil Medvedev Paula Badosa (ESP) 10 Ben Shelton (USA) Emma Navarro (USA) 11 Alex de Minaur (AUS) Elena Rybakina (KAZ) 12 Frances Tiafoe (USA) Diana Shnaider 13 Tommy Paul (USA) Amanda Anisimova (USA) 14 Andrey Rublev Elina Svitolina (UKR) 15 Jakub Mensik (CZE) Karolina Muchova (CZE) 16 Francisco Cerundolo (ARG) Daria Kasatkina (AUS) 17 Karen Khachanov Barbora Krejcikova (CZE) 18 Ugo Humbert (FRA) Ekaterina Alexandrova 19 Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) Liudmila Samsonova 20 Alexei Popyrin (AUS) Jelena Ostapenko (LAT) 21 Tomas Machac (CZE) Beatriz Haddad Maia (BRA) 22 Flavio Cobolli (ITA) Donna Vekic (CRO) 23 Jiri Lehecka (CZE) Clara Tauson (DEN) 24 Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) Elise Mertens (BEL) 25 Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN) Magdalena Frech (POL) 26 Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (ESP) Marta Kostyuk (UKR) 27 Denis Shapovalov (CAN) Magda Linette (POL) 28 Alexander Bublik (KAZ) Sofia Kenin (USA) 29 Brandon Nakashima (USA) Leylah Fernandez (CAN) 30 Alex Michelsen (USA) Linda Noskova (CZE) 31 Tallon Griekspoor (NED) Ashlyn Krueger (USA) 32 Matteo Berrettini (ITA) McCartney Kessler (USA) Related Topics Wimbledon / Wimbledon 2025
