ラドゥカヌ 「涙でボール見えなかった」　ストーカーの恐怖明かす

【インディアンウェルズ（米国）ＡＦＰ＝時事】女子テニスのエマ・ラドゥカヌ（英国）が４日、２月のドバイ・テニス選手権で客席の男から「執着的な行為」の標的にされたことについて、「涙でボールが見えなかった」と明かした。（写真は女子テニスのエマ・ラドゥカヌ）
　元全米オープン覇者のラドゥカヌは２月１８日に行われたカロリーナ・ムホバ（チェコ）戦で、男がコート脇の席に現れた後、取り乱した様子を見せていた。警備員に連れ出された男は、後に「執着的な行為」に及んだとして接近禁止命令を受け、女子ツアー大会への出入りも禁止された。
　今週開幕のＢＮＰパリバ・オープンで、そのとき以来の公式戦に臨むラドゥカヌは、「中年の変質者のせいで、好きなことをあきらめるわけにはいかないと思っている部分もある」と語り、「今ここにいるのは、だいぶ気持ちが落ち着いたから。ドバイでいろいろなことがあったので、少し時間が必要だった」と言った。
　ドバイでは審判席の後ろに隠れるような様子も見せていたラドゥカヌは、「すごく動揺した」と振り返り、「最初のゲームであの男の姿が見えて、どうしようと思った」と恐怖を語った。
　さらに「涙でボールが見えなくて、ほとんど息ができなかった」「（最初の４ゲームは）心ここにあらずだった」「試合後は完全に泣き崩れた」とも明かした。
　ＢＮＰパリバ・オープンの主催者は、ラドゥカヌが会場にいる間は警備員を配置して保護すると発表している。
　２０２２年にも家族で住んでいる家でストーカーに狙われたラドゥカヌは、「警備は非常に重要だ」としつつ、「選手の泊まっているホテルがどこかは公開されているから、必ずしもすごく助かるわけではなく、誰でも入ってこられる」と話した。
　「それは明らかに弱い部分だけど、最善を尽くしている。今は以前よりもさらに、すごく警戒して気を張っている。一人で出かけることはほとんどない」【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2025/03/05-17:05）

Emma Raducanu revealed Tuesday she couldn't see the ball through the tears after being targeted by a stalker during last month's Dubai WTA 1000 tournament.
The British tennis star was left distraught after a man later said to be displaying fixated behavior appeared at a courtside seat during her defeat to Karolina Muchova.
The man was escorted away by security, subsequently given a restraining order and banned from attending WTA Tour events.
Former US Open champion Raducanu, 22, is making her first tournament appearance since her troubled Dubai campaign at this week's event in California.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Raducanu said she was determined not to let the incident derail her career.
There's a part of you that thinks, 'I'm not gonna let a middle-aged creep stop me doing what I love to do,' Raducanu told The Athletic.
I'm here because I feel a lot better now. A lot happened obviously after Dubai, so I just needed to kind of take my time after, she said.
I think the allure of Indian Wells being my favorite tournament, I just couldn't really step away from it.
Recounting the details of her Dubai ordeal, where she briefly took refuge behind the umpire's chair after alerting officials to the man's presence, Raducanu said she had been obviously very distraught.
I saw him first game of the match, and I was like: 'I don't know how I'm going to finish', Raducanu told reporters.
I literally couldn't see the ball through the tears, I could barely breathe. I was playing Karolina, who's like top 17 in the world or something, and I can't see the ball.
The first four games of the match kind of ran away from me because I was not on the court, to be honest. I'm not really sure how I regrouped, she said.
It was a very emotional time and after the match I did completely break down in tears.
Tournament organisers are taking no chances with Raducanu during her return at Indian Wells this week, where security staff will be deployed to protect her when she is on site at the event.
Raducanu, who was also targeted by a stalker at her family home in 2022, said the incidents had made her hyper-vigilant.
The security is very important, Raducanu said. Even if the player hotels are public information, that's not necessarily the most helpful and anyone can walk in.
That's obviously a weak spot, but I do my best. I'm always, and now even more so, very aware and very alert and sensitive and I don't really go anywhere on my own.