Five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek has been given “additional security measures” at the Miami Open after a spectator was reported for threatening behavior.
The incident occurred last week and Swiatek's team immediately notified tournament organisers and the WTA, the PA news agency reported.
Security has been beefed up for world number two Swiatek, who became the second high-profile player in recent weeks to be confronted by a troublesome spectator after a man with “fixated behaviour” approached Emma Raducanu at a tournament in Dubai.
Swiatek's Florida run ended Wednesday night after a shock 6-2, 7-5 quarterfinal loss to wild card Alexandra Illa.
A spokesman for Swiatek's team told the PA news agency: “Safety is our top priority.
“We are monitoring the situation closely to monitor for such issues. Constructive criticism is one thing, but threats, hate speech or even disruption during training are something else entirely and cannot be tolerated.
“We notified the tournament organisers as well as the WTA, who responded immediately and took additional precautions, including additional security, for which we are very grateful.
“Ensuring the safety of the players is critical. They are at the heart of the action and it is our job to protect them.”
The WTA, the governing body of women's tennis, told the PA news agency: “Player safety is our top priority.
“The WTA actively collaborates with tournament organisers and their security teams to implement best practices in organising international sporting events, ensuring the safety and well-being of all participants.
“There are comprehensive security protocols in place to ensure a quick and effective response to any incidents.
“We don’t discuss these details publicly, but we are committed to maintaining a safe environment for players and everyone who attends our events.”
Swiatek's wait for another title was extended on Wednesday when she suffered a straight sets defeat to world No. 140 Ila in Miami.
Ila made an impressive recovery from the first set loss and confidently won the first set with a score of 6-2.
Swiatek's game improved in the second set and she took a 4-2 lead, but Ela continued to force her Polish opponent into mistakes with smart shots and won five of the last six games to end the match, which lasted one hour and 40 minutes.
It means Swiatek will be without a title in 2025 and last achieved success at Roland Garros in June.
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
