Five-time Grand Slam winner Iga Swiatek was reportedly given boosted security during the Miami Open this week after “offensive” fans verbally attacked her at the tournament.
Fans have previously sent abusive messages to the French Open winner, who has ruled the abusive messages three times online, BBC Sport reported, citing a representative from Swiatek.
The reported incident occurred Saturday during a practice session, and that.”[appeared] To become a direct transition from verbal attacks online to real-world harassment,” said a Swiatek representative.
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Five-time Grand Slam winner Iga Swiatek was reportedly given boosted security during the Miami Open this week after “offensive” fans verbally attacked her at the tournament. (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
“Constructive criticism is one thing, another, threats, hate speech, even riots during training. This is unacceptable.” A Swiatek spokesman said.
“We take the safety and security of all players and tournament participants very seriously,” the Miami Open said in a statement. “We will not disclose details of our security operations to ensure the effectiveness of these efforts, as we will constantly assess potential threats and respond appropriately to any measure.”
The World Tennis Association states, “Player safety is our number one priority. The WTA works closely with tournaments and security teams on best practices for international sporting events to ensure the safety and well-being of all participants.
“We have comprehensive security protocols to ensure that incidents are handled quickly and effectively. These details are not something we will discuss publicly, but we stick to our commitment to maintaining a safe environment for our players and everyone who participates in our event.”
Swiatek has recently returned from a month's doping suspension that he didn't miss a Grand Slam. (image)
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Swiatek has recently returned from a month's doping suspension that he didn't miss a Grand Slam.
This episode comes more than a month after the stalker was removed from the match in which Dubai 2021 US Open champion Emmara Dukanu is playing.
At the Dubai Championships last month, Radkanu said she could barely breathe and fill her eyes with tears when the stalker approached her in the first half of the tournament was in the stands during the match.
Second seed Swiatek lost to wildcard Alexandra Eala in the quarterfinals on Wednesday. When asked if the security situation had disrupted preparations for the match, Swiatek replied: “No, I wouldn't say that.” (Canadian media via Christinne Muschi/AP)
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Swiatek, second seeded in the quarterfinals on Wednesday, lost to wildcard Alexandra Eala. When asked if the security situation had disrupted preparations for the match, Swiatek replied: “No, I wouldn't say that.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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