Emma Raducanu is heading to Indian Wells this weekend, accompanied by a new coach.
As reported, the British tennis player is determined to compete in California as soon as possible, despite recently experiencing a stalker incident in Dubai.
The former US Open champion was visibly distressed and started crying when she noticed a fan in the stands during her last match. This individual had reportedly followed her to four different resorts across three countries.
Despite this unsettling situation, where the man had also approached her in a cafe the previous day, the 22-year-old is proceeding with her travel to the United States for what’s known as the ‘Fifth Slam’.
For this trip, she will be accompanied by LTA academy coach Tom Welsh.
This coaching arrangement is temporary, as the search for a permanent coach is expected to continue into the clay-court season, starting in April.
Her previous coach, Nick Cavaday, a childhood friend, recently stepped down from his position due to health concerns.
Fitness trainer Yutaka Nakamura will continue to support her as she aims to improve her recent performance, having experienced first-round exits in three tournaments this year.
WTA authorities and Indian Wells organizers are expected to increase security at the Tennis Paradise venue to prevent any recurrence of the incident that disrupted her second-round match against Karolina Muchova in the UAE.
Raducanu was in tears on the court, leading to a suspension of her match against Muchova.
Following the distressing incident, Raducanu returned to the UK.
She has since updated her Instagram bio to “ad astra per aspera,” a Latin phrase meaning “to the stars through hardships.”
In a statement, Raducanu expressed her gratitude: “Thank you for the messages of support. It was a difficult experience yesterday, but I will be okay and I am proud of how I recovered and competed despite what happened at the beginning of the match. Thank you to Karolina for her sportsmanship and I wish her the best for the rest of the tournament.”
