A professional tennis player has disclosed that he received a disturbing threat just days after the ordeal involving Emma Raducanu and her stalker became public.
Arthur Bouquier, a French tennis player, was targeted with abusive messages as he was getting ready to compete against Florian Broska at the Thionville Challenger tournament.
Bouquier won his first round match in straight sets. However, before stepping onto the court, he was sent a threatening message from an individual who had placed a bet on his match.
Bouquier shared the menacing message on social media and tagged several tennis governing bodies in his post.
The threat stated: “I expect you to beat him in two sets because I have placed a 2000 euro bet on you to win in two sets.
“I swear, if you lose, I will never forgive you. I will hunt you and your family down to cause you harm, even if it means I end up in prison.
“It’s almost worth it, because if I lose this 2000 euros, I will be destitute, and my life will be meaningless. Prison might be preferable to that.
“I swear on my mother’s life that I will come after you. I am currently at the tennis court in Thionville where you are scheduled to play at 15:20.
“Be warned. These are not idle threats. Good luck.”
Tennis officials have not yet made any public statement regarding this threat.
This message to Bouquier comes just days after British tennis star Raducanu was distressed by a stalker.
Raducanu, age 22, became alarmed and hid behind the umpire’s chair after noticing a man in the Dubai crowd who was displaying “fixated behavior.”
This individual had previously followed her in Singapore, Abu Dhabi, and Doha.
She recounted her unsettling experience before competing at the Indian Wells tournament in California.
Raducanu explained, “There were two occasions, and it was the second that really alarmed me.
“The first time, it seemed like a fan approaching, except he mentioned he had followed me from place to place.
“He then watched me for a while in a coffee shop. The second encounter was truly worrying.
“I became very upset and didn’t know how I would finish the match.
“I was in tears and could hardly breathe. I could barely see the tennis ball.”
