Indian Wells Open 2025: Emma Raducanu to get extra security service after stalking incident

Emma Raducanu broke down after noticing a ‘fixated man’ during her Dubai Championship second-round match.

Security will be ramped up for Brit sensation Emma Raducanu at the upcoming Indian Wells Open 2025. The 22-year-old offered five additional security guards by tournament organisers to persuade him to compete in Indian Wells.

Earlier, during Raducanu’s second-round contest against Karolina Muchova at the Dubai Tennis Championships 2025, the Brit broke down and hid herself behind the chair umpire after spotting a stalker. Reportedly, this unknown person demonstrated fixated behavior and was subsequently banned by WTA from all future events and competitions.

Also Read: Top five high-profile player & coach duo in tennis history

Additionally, Raducanu’s childhood coach Roman Kelecic claimed that the man had followed him to four countries in recent weeks. Kelecic alleged: ‘This man followed her to Singapore, to Abu Dhabi – where I was with her – again in Doha, now in Dubai, and we noticed him.

‘Initially, we thought he was a fan… until he got physically close to her, started having contact in the form of selfies, hugging, ‘ he added.

Also Read: Top 10 richest tennis players of all-time

In addition to the five security personnel, the former US Open champion will also be accompanied by members of an off-site security detail after she was approached by her stalker at a restaurant last week.

WTA Vice President of Security Bob Campbell, a former Secret Service agent with 20 years of experience, is overseeing security measures at Indian Wells to ensure that Raducanu feels secure enough to compete.

Campbell served as a Secret Service agent from 1983 to 2003, playing a key role during Bill Clinton’s presidency before transitioning to sports with Major League Baseball. He joined the WTA in 2013 and has been affiliated with the organisation ever since.

This unfortunate incident comes at the worst possible time for the Brit, ahead of one of the most prestigious WTA events – The Indian Wells, which is also regarded as the ‘Fifth Grand Slam’. With a massive prize pool of $1.2M (estimatedly ₹10.5 Cr), stars from around the world are set to compete in the desert. Even a round one exit fetches a staggering USD 25,295 (₹21 L).

Raducanu herself has found the going tough in 2025. She reached the third round at the Australian Open 2025, losing to Iga Swiatek, followed by first-round defeats at the Singapore Open, Abu Dhabi Open, and Qatar Open. The 22-year-old’s last appearance came in Dubai, where the entire controversy happened.

For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram