Wimbledon security intercepted a stalker on the ballot months after he triggered a breakdown in Dubai.

Wimbledon security officials have blocked a man with a restraining order from acquiring tickets to this year’s Championships, after discovering his name on the public ballot. The man, who has not been named, was previously barred by authorities in Dubai after an incident involving British tennis star Emma Raducanu earlier this year.

The All England Club carried out a detailed re-sweep of the ballot list and flagged the stalker’s identity, triggering an immediate removal from the waiting list. The decision follows a deeply disturbing episode in February during the Dubai tournament, where Raducanu broke down in tears mid-match after spotting the man in the crowd.

The 22-year-old Briton was playing her second-round match against Karolina Muchova when she noticed the stalker in the stands. Visibly distressed, she hid behind the umpire’s chair, struggling to contain her emotions. “I literally couldn’t see the ball through tears. I could barely breathe,” she told reporters afterwards. “I saw him in the first game of the match and I was like: ‘I don’t know how I’m going to finish.’”

Just a day earlier, the same man had approached Raducanu in a coffee shop, handed her a letter, and asked for a photo. She was also aware of his presence at tournaments in Singapore, Abu Dhabi, and Doha in the preceding weeks, confirming a troubling pattern of obsessive behaviour.

Following the Dubai incident, local police removed the man from the venue and issued a restraining order against him. Since then, Raducanu has admitted that the ordeal has permanently altered how she navigates public life. “I’m always with someone and always being watched,” she said. “I try not to be careless because you only realise how much of a problem it is when you’re in that situation.”

This isn’t the first time the former US Open champion has been targeted by stalkers. In 2022, another man received a five-year restraining order after walking 23 miles to her home.

The threat to female tennis players appears to be growing. On the same day the ballot revelation emerged, British No 2 Katie Boulter said she had faced online abuse, death threats, and had been followed around London by an unknown vehicle. These experiences have added urgency to demands for stronger protective measures on tour.

Sally Bolton, the chief executive of the All England Lawn Tennis Club, reassured players that Wimbledon is taking the situation seriously. “We’re liaising with the tours, with the Met police, with other security agencies right through the year to think about the types of risks we need to look at and adjusting what we put in place,” she said.

She urged any player feeling concerned to speak up: “We can put bespoke arrangements in place.”

For this year’s tournament, Wimbledon will have police officers, military personnel, and a specialised team of fixated threat experts present on the grounds. These measures, officials hope, will prevent any repeat of the trauma Raducanu and others have endured.

As the Championships approach, the focus shifts not only to world-class tennis, but to ensuring the safety of the young women who inspire millions—and are now targets for those dangerously obsessed.