MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Iga Swiatek was given extra security protection at the Miami Open after being verbally attacked during a practice session by a man who had sent the five-time Grand Slam champion harassing messages via social media, BBC Sport reported Wednesday, citing representatives for the player.
The episode comes a little more than a month after a stalker was removed from a match being played by 2021 U.S. Open champion Emma Raducanu in Dubai.
Spokespeople for the Miami Open and the WTA Tour would not confirm exactly what happened with Swiatek at the hard-court tournament that finishes this weekend.
The No. 2-seeded Swiatek was facing Alexandra Eala in the quarterfinals Wednesday.
“Player safety is our top priority. The WTA works closely with tournaments and their security teams on best practices for international sporting events to ensure the safety and well-being of all participants. There are comprehensive security protocols in place to make sure that any incidents are handled promptly and effectively,” the WTA said. “The details of these are not something we discuss publicly, but we are steadfast in our commitment to maintaining a safe environment for players and everyone attending one of our events.”
