Czech tennis player Karolína Muchová was brought to tears and forced to briefly halt her second-round U.S. Open match on Thursday after spotting an ex-boyfriend in the crowd, whom she said has a history of appearing “at places where he shouldn’t be.”
The world No. 13, a semifinalist at the last two U.S. Opens, was serving down 4-1 in the first set against Sorana Cîrstea when she became visibly distressed. She approached the side of the court, gestured toward the stands, and wiped away tears before resuming play. Despite the interruption, Muchová rallied to win the match and advance to the third round.
In a post-match news conference, Muchová explained the situation in her native Czech. “It wasn’t tennis-related,” she said. “Opposite my bench, my ex-boyfriend sat down. He sometimes shows up at places where he shouldn’t be. That startled me a bit. I told him to leave, he didn’t, but later he did go. It was hard to focus in that moment.”
Muchová has not filed a report with the WTA or the United States Tennis Association (USTA) about the man. Tennis governing bodies allow players to request that specific individuals be blacklisted from receiving tickets or credentials for tournaments.
Following her third-round victory over Linda Nosková on Saturday, Muchová confirmed, “I’m alright. I didn’t make any report and everything is good.” However, when asked if she was confident a similar incident would not recur, she expressed uncertainty. She affirmed that she still felt safe on court.
Player safety is a significant concern at major tournaments. A USTA spokesperson stated that its “comprehensive security plan includes protocols and procedures for effective risk mitigation and issue management,” involving collaboration with tennis authorities and law enforcement.
The incident highlights a persistent issue in women’s tennis, which has long been a focal point for stalking and fixated behavior. At Wimbledon this year, a man with a restraining order for fixated behavior toward Emma Raducanu was removed from the ticket ballot. Coincidentally, Muchová was Raducanu’s opponent when that incident occurred, after which Raducanu said she “couldn’t see the ball through tears.”
Experts suggest the sport’s characteristics make its athletes vulnerable. “I think it’s to do with the individuality of the sport, and then a combination of precociousness, attractiveness and visibility,” said a former WTA executive who spoke on the condition of anonymity. “You put all those things together and women’s tennis is a perfect storm for fixated individuals.”
Muchová, the No. 11 seed, is scheduled to face No. 27 seed Marta Kostyuk in the fourth round on Monday.
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