Wimbledon bars stalker of Emma Raducanu from ticket ballot

The All England Club has confirmed that the man who stalked British tennis star Emma Raducanu earlier this year has been blocked from applying for tickets to this year’s Wimbledon Championships. The individual, whose behaviour led to a restraining order issued in Dubai, was reportedly flagged by Wimbledon’s security system during the public ticket ballot. His application was immediately rejected following a red alert raised by the club’s internal database — a proactive move applauded by fans and insiders alike.

Man who trailed Emma Raducanu across tournaments and left her in tears is denied access to championships

The incident traces back to February at the Dubai Tennis Championships, where Emma, 22, was visibly distressed after spotting the man in the stands. It later emerged he had followed her across four tournaments — Singapore, Abu Dhabi, Doha and Dubai — and even approached her outside the player hotel, handing over a letter and requesting a photo. Despite informing her team, the situation wasn’t reported to tournament officials or the WTA until the day of her match.

Midway through her second-round game, Emma was seen hiding behind the umpire’s chair after noticing the man in the crowd. The match ended in defeat for the former US Open champion, who later admitted she struggled to focus and breathe through tears on court. Dubai authorities acted swiftly, removing the man and issuing a restraining order. His name was then circulated to global tennis governing bodies — a crucial step that enabled Wimbledon to act preemptively. Emma, who has previously faced stalking incidents — including one in 2022 where a man walked 23 miles to her home — has since increased her security presence. 

Wimbledon’s security footprint now includes over 1,000 personnel, fixated threat specialists, behavioural analysts, response teams, and increased CCTV monitoring. Public attendees must pre-register with personal details, and player-specific sweeps are conducted around the grounds as needed. This incident underscores the heightened vigilance at SW19 — and reinforces the message that when it comes to player safety, there is zero room for compromise.

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