Emma Raducanu: I'm ‘wary' when going out after stalker ordeal in Dubai
The 22-year-old hid behind the umpire's chair in tears after receiving repeated unwanted attention from a 'fixated' man before and during a second-round match against Karolina Muchova in February.
At the time, Raducanu said she 'couldn't see the ball through tears' and could 'barely breathe', while she revealed now that the situation was exacerbated by her being unsettled without a full-time coach.
While Raducanu still minds her surroundings, the 2021 US Open champion wants to move on as she approaches the grass-court season with coaches Mark Petchey and Nick Cavaday in tow.
'It was difficult,' she told BBC Sport. 'It was emphasised by the fact I didn't necessarily feel certain or comfortable in my own set-up and team so it just added to the anxious feeling.
'I'm obviously wary when I go out. I try not to be careless about it because you only realise how much of a problem it is when you're in that situation and I don't necessarily want to be in that situation again.
'Off the court right now, I feel good, I feel pretty settled. I feel like I have good people around me and anything that was negative, I kind of brush it off as much as I can.'
Raducanu, who suffered a second-round exit to Iga Swiatek at the French Open, is managing a back issue in the build-up to Wimbledon, having been hindered by persistent spasm issues for much of 2025.
She will feature in the inaugural women's Queen's Club Championships this week, where she will take on Spanish qualifier Cristina Bucsa in the first round.
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South Wales Argus
29 minutes ago
- South Wales Argus
Raducanu tempers expectations ahead of Queen's debut
Women's tennis is returning to Queen's for the first time in 52 years with the HSBC Championships, and Raducanu is set to be one of the main attractions. The former US Open champion has been drawn against a qualifier in her first-round singles match, while she will play doubles alongside British No.1 Katie Boulter. Raducanu first made a name for herself on the grass at Wimbledon with a run to the fourth round in 2021, but admits that she might take a while to find her feet this summer because of back issues. 'I had a small interruption with a bit of a back spasm again, so that was a bit annoying,' said the 22-year-old, who could face reigning Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova in the second round if she progresses. 'So that kind of hindered my grass prep, but the last few days I've managed to get on the grass and just begin to try and find my feet. 'I can't really predict the future, how it's going to be, I know I've been managing my back for the last few weeks now, and it's something that comes and goes. 'It can be frustrating. I think when I was playing in Strasbourg in my second round match, it definitely hindered me, and first round in Paris, but I got through. 'I try not to let it get to me because I think I have a pretty good feel overall of when it happens, what to do and how to manage it. It does take a few days out, but all I can do is kind of deal with what's in front of me. 'My expectations, truthfully, are pretty low because, as I said, I played points for the first time today (Sunday). 'I've had maybe two, three days on the grass court, so it's not been much. But I just have to take it as it goes. I know that I'm doing what I can and I've dealt with everything as best as I can.' Like Raducanu, Boulter has been drawn against a qualifier in her opening match, while fellow Brits Sonay Kartal and Jodie Burrage face tough first-round draws. Kartal, who reached the third round at Wimbledon last year, is up against Australia's Daria Kasatkina, the 2024 champion at Eastbourne, while Burrage takes on American Amanda Anisimova, a former Wimbledon quarter-finalist. Heather Watson will also take her place in the draw after coming through two rounds of qualifying, while Lily Miyazaki missed out after a three-set defeat to Spain's Cristina Bucsa. And in the doubles, Boulter and Raducanu will take on Jiang Xinyu and Wu Fang-Hsien, with Boulter excited at the prospect of joining forces. She said: 'I think myself and Emma, we've been wanting to play for a while now. 'I think we've talked about it a lot of times, and unfortunately, it just hasn't quite happened for various reasons. I think (for the) first week on grass, to get a couple more matches is super important. 'I think we were actually here at Queen's, practising on the clay, and we decided we thought we'd come back and play on the grass together. 'It'll be extremely special. I've obviously come here quite a bit watching tennis, and I've got some really good memories of coming and sitting and watching Alex (de Minaur) the last few years. 'I've actually always said to myself, I wish there was an Olympic event here. I wish I got the chance to play on this court. 'Because you can feel the history. You can feel how incredible it is. I've seen this court packed, and obviously, it's bigger this year.'
BBC News
43 minutes ago
- BBC News
US Open 2025 dates, tee times, favourites and schedule
The 125th US Open takes place from 12-15 June at Oakmont Country Club, near Pittsburgh, champion Bryson DeChambeau is among the 156-man field for the third of the year's four champion Rory McIlroy and world number one Scottie Scheffler, who claimed last month's US PGA Championship title are the clear Sport will have live radio commentary on 5 Live and 5 Sports Extra for the final two rounds, while there will be live text commentary on all four rounds, with in-play clips and highlights, on the BBC Sport website and mobile app. When is the US Open? Round oneThursday, 12 June (tee times to be confirmed)Round twoFriday, 13 June (tee times to be confirmed)Round threeSaturday, 14 June (tee times to be confirmed)Round fourSunday, 15 June (tee times to be confirmed) Where is the US Open being held in 2025? Oakmont Country Club will host the US Open for the 10th time in its history, last doing so nine years ago. The course has also hosted the US PGA Championship, US Women's Open and US Amateur Armour was the winner in 1927 when Oakmont hosted its first US Open. Since then, Oakmont US Open winners have included Jack Nicklaus, Ben Hogan, Ernie Els and Angel Oakmont's most recent US Open in 2016, Johnson picked up the first of his two major titles. Oakmont, which is generally regarded as one of the toughest courses in the United States, has also been confirmed as the US Open venue in 2033, 2042 and 2049. Who are favourites to win the US Open? Once again Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler will dominate the headlines. Both have won three events in 2025 but head to Oakmont with differing levels of is undoubtedly the man in form, with three wins in his past four starts, including last month's US PGA Championship - the third major victory of his American preceded that with an eight-shot triumph at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson and backed it up with a four-shot victory at the Memorial his past 10 majors, Scheffler has recorded eight top-10 finishes and two victories, making the cut in all number two McIlroy enjoyed the brighter start to the year with victories at Pebble Beach and the Players Championship in February and March before finally completing the career Grand Slam with his win at Augusta National in a non-conforming driver disrupted his US PGA Championship, where he finished joint 47th and he then missed the cut at last week's Canadian Open, saying he would spend the weekend testing out new the 2011 champion who is making his 17th successive appearance, has an excellent recent US Open record, finishing in the top 10 for the past six editions, and being runner-up in 2023 and McIlroy and Scheffler missed the cut the last time the US Open was held at Oakmont in 2016 - Scheffler as an amateur in his first Open champion and world number three Xander Schauffele, whose pre-season was disrupted by a rib injury, is yet to post a victory on tour this year, but recorded a top-10 finish at major winner DeChambeau will look to become the first player to win successive US Open titles since Brooks Koepka won the 2017 and 2018 editions. The 31-year-old who also won at Winged Foot in 2020 has been in excellent form in the majors this season. He briefly led the Masters in the final round before finishing joint fifth, while he was joint second at the US LIV golfer Jon Rahm, who won this title in 2021, has posted top-15 finishes in the year's two majors to date. Which UK golfers are playing US Open? There are a total of 14 UK players qualified for this year's championship - 12 from England, Robert MacIntyre from Scotland and McIlroy from Northern English players include Justin Rose, Matt Fitzpatrick, Tommy Fleetwood, Aaron Rai and Tyrrell who won his solitary major at the 2013 US Open, came close to winning the Masters in April before losing in a play-off to his Ryder Cup team-mate McIlroy. His recent US Open form is patchy though with four missed cuts in his previous also won this title, in 2022, but arrives at Oakmont with indifferent form with four missed cuts in 13 events this year. However, his best result was joint eighth at last month's US went closest to winning a major at Shinnecock Hills in 2018 but has had only one other top-five since, in 2023. The Englishman is also yet to win on American is coming off the back of his best year, with two PGA Tour wins in 2024, but is yet to really challenge in a continues to impress and is making his third US Open appearance, although he comes into this championship on the back of successive missed keeps being talked up as a major winner in waiting but his results in the sport's biggest events have failed to match the hype. A joint sixth in 2018 is his only US Open top-10 in eight previous starts. Which LIV golfers will be playing in the US Open? A total of 14 players play on the LIV Golf champion DeChambeau leads the challenge from the breakaway Saudi-funded circuit, while fellow two-time winner Brooks Koepka and former champions Rahm and Dustin Johnson are also at of LIV's seven events in 2025 have been individually won by Joaquin Niemann of Chile, who is another player yet to shine at a major with one top-10 in 24 previous Johnson won the last US Open at Oakmont in 2016 while six-time runner-up 54-year-old Phil Mickelson - six times a US Open runner-up - continues his quest for the only major he is yet to win. However, both missed the cut at the Masters and US PGA. Is Tiger Woods playing the US Open? Tiger Woods will not be at Oakmont as he continues to recover from an operation in March to repair a ruptured Achilles 15-time major winner has not played since missing the cut at last July's Open Championship at Royal who had a sixth back procedure in 10 years in September, had planned to return at the Genesis Invitational in February but withdrew following the death of his mother, then pulled out of the PGA Tour's flagship Players Championship in March after sustaining his injury while training at home. Previous US Open winners Since 2010, there have been 13 different winners of the US won it in 2017 and 2018, while De Chambeau did so in 2020 and the previous 15 US Opens, nine have been won by American players.2024: Bryson DeChambeau (United States)2023: Wyndham Clark (United States)2022: Matt Fitzpatrick (England)2021: Jon Rahm (Spain)2020: Bryson DeChambeau (United States)2019: Gary Woodland (United States)2018: Brooks Koepka (United States)2017: Brooks Koepka (United States)2016: Dustin Johnson (United States)2015: Jordan Spieth (United States)2014: Martin Kaymer (Germany)2013: Justin Rose (England)2012: Webb Simpson (United States)2011: Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland)2010: Graeme McDowell (Northern Ireland) US Open weather The BBC forecast for Oakmont, Pennsylvania suggests a largely sunny week with the threat of stormy weather for Saturday and Sunday's final two rounds. How to follow the US Open on the BBC All times BST and subject to change. The BBC is not responsible for any changes that may be 12 June12:30-01:00 - Live text commentary on round one, with in-play clips and highlights21:00-22:00 - 5 Live Golf - chat show on the latest stories and big commentary momentsFriday, 13 June12:30-01:00 - Live text commentary on round two, with in-play clips and highlightsSaturday, 14 June17:00-01:00 - Live text commentary on round three, with in-play clips and highlights20:00-21:30 - Live commentary on BBC Sport website and app21:30-00:00 - Live commentary on 5 Sports Extra and BBC SoundsSunday, 15 June17:00-01:00 - Live text commentary on round four, with in-play clips and highlights20:00-00:00 - Live commentary on 5 Sports Extra and BBC SoundsThis article is the latest from BBC Sport's Ask Me Anything team. What is Ask Me Anything? Ask Me Anything is a service dedicated to answering your want to reward your time by telling you things you do not know and reminding you of things you team will find out everything you need to know and be able to call upon a network of contacts including our experts and will be answering your questions from the heart of the BBC Sport newsroom, and going behind the scenes at some of the world's biggest sporting coverage will span the BBC Sport website, app, social media and YouTube accounts, plus BBC TV and radio. More questions answered... What does the new Premier League ball look like?When does the tennis grass court season begin?When are the 2025-26 Premier League fixtures released?What are penalty points in F1 and how do they work?
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Coco Gauff shows off ‘miniature' French Open trophy awarded thanks to Roland Garros rule
French Open champion Coco Gauff is bringing grand slam silverware back home from Roland Garros - but the trophy in question isn't the same one she collected on Court Philippe-Chatrier on Saturday. Gauff, 21, secured her her second grand slam title as she battled from behind to win a dramatic three-set final against the World No 1 Aryna Sabalenka, mastering difficult conditions to win her first Roland Garros. Gauff's victory came three years after she was thrashed 6-1 6-3 by Iga Swiatek in the 2022 French Open final, a defeat that left an 18-year-old Gauff in tears during the trophy ceremony. This time, she was able to grit through to get her hands on the coveted Coupe Suzanne Lenglen, beaming with pride as the American national anthem played in Paris. However, her time with the trophy was somewhat short-lived, with Gauff revealing on her flight that the prize never made it out of the French capital. Instead, she is given a 'mini replica' of the trophy to keep, the size of which Gauff demonstrates is hardly bigger than a French water bottle. 'It's the memories that matter the most,' Gauff said as she chuckled at the size of her trophy. Gauff also confirmed that the reason for the swap in silverware is down to the fact the full-sized trophy 'stays with the tournament'. The World No 2 battled to a 6-7 (7-5) 6-2 6-4 win over Sabalenka to lift her first grand slam since triumphing at the US Open in 2023, where she also beat the Belarusian. It was the first of two epic finals at Roland Garros, with Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner following it up with their own five-set classic in what was the second longest grand slam final of all time - clocking in at five hours and 29 minutes.
