British tennis star Emma Raducanu has unexpectedly deleted her Instagram account, just weeks after a disturbing stalker incident in Dubai.
The 22-year-old had built a following of over three million on the social media platform, regularly sharing updates on her career and training. However, fans searching for her profile now will find it gone without explanation.
Earlier this month, Raducanu had posted snapshots from California in preparation for her return to competition at Indian Wells. The WTA 1000 tournament marked her comeback after a distressing encounter in Dubai, where she spotted a known stalker in the crowd during her second-round match against Karolina Muchova.
Mid-match at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, Raducanu broke into tears and sought refuge behind the umpire’s chair, prompting an immediate response from security personnel before gathering herself to continue playing. The WTA later issued a statement, revealing that Raducanu had been approached by the same individual a day earlier in a public space, exhibiting what they described as “fixated behavior.”
Security was tightened around Raducanu at Indian Wells, with extra protection in place. The Brit admitted that the Dubai incident had heightened her awareness, saying she had been “pretty much chaperoned everywhere” since. Her BNP Paribas Open run was short-lived, as she suffered a 6-3 6-2 defeat to Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima in the opening round.
Looking ahead, Raducanu is expected to return to action at the Miami Open, a WTA 1000 event set to kick off next week. Fans will be eager to see if she can bounce back—not just on the court, but also from the emotional toll of recent weeks. Stepping away from social media could be a refreshing reset, allowing her to refocus and rebuild her confidence.
