British star Emma Raducanu was "followed" by a stalker thought to be an avid fan, who planned a "calculated" strategy, according to former coach Roman Kelecic.
The 2021 US Open champion was in tears in the first set of her first-round match against Karolína Muchová earlier this week in Dubai. Later, it emerged that a fan had been removed from the stadium for displaying "fixated behaviour".
"The first game, two points gone, 15-15, Emma is on the other side of the court and she's showing us something. At that moment we didn't know what it was. Emma loses the first game and runs to us, crying, shouting, 'Here he is, here he is, here he is'," Kelecic told Croatia's Net.
Before Raducanu appeared on the WTA scene, Kelecic acted as her full-time coach, and was seen training with her in Dubai.
"This man followed her to Singapore, to Abu Dhabi - where I was with her - again in Doha, now in Dubai and we noticed him," Kelecic said.
"But initially we thought he was a fan, an admirer, because Emma is a really big tennis star with a huge fanbase. Until he got physically close to her, started having contact in the form of selfies, hugging, etc."
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Sky Sports reports that Raducanu was approached by the same man in question outside of the grounds in Dubai, but not in the tournament hotel on Monday afternoon.
"That was the only moment in a month where I, the fitness coach, the security guard who was with us, was not with her at that moment," he added.
"So that man was assessing the situation and looking for the best moment to get closer to her. He had a strategy that was terrifying, he thought everything through; calculated it.
"It's terrifying how much he, in essence, thought about it all and planned it. His strategy worked and it was to get closer to her. That evening we reported it immediately and again in the morning, when she was playing the match, because her safety is the most important thing to us."
Raducanu informed her 2.6 million Instagram followers on Wednesday about her ordeal, while taking the time to thank Muchová for her support.
"Difficult experience yesterday but I'll be OK and proud of how I came back and competed despite what happened at the start of the match," she wrote. "Thank you to Karolina for being a great sport and best of luck to her for the rest of the tournament."
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