Swiatek ‘verbally abused by aggressive fan’ in Miami

Iga Swiatek, a five-time major champion, is being protected by increased security after a “traumatizing” fan verbally abused her at the Miami Open.

In a Saturday practice session, the man targeted Swiatek, 23, as well.

The man is said to have insulted Swiatek’s family in private.

The man’s representatives told BBC Sport that the world number two had previously abused her on social media.

The Polish player’s team said, “The incident in Miami appears to be a direct transition from verbal aggression online to harassment in the real world.”

“He was teasing and aggressive.”

The incident was immediately reported to tournament organizers, according to Swiatek’s representatives.

The second seed has advanced to the Miami Open quarter-finals, where she will face Alexandra Eala, a teenager from Philippines, on Wednesday, following the incident at the weekend.

“Security is our top priority,” he said. Her spokesperson said that we keep an eye on the network to catch these kinds of issues.

Threats, hate speech, or even disturbance during training are two things that cannot be condoned.

According to reports, the WTA and the tournament’s organizers immediately took additional security measures in place around the former world number one, who has since become a long-time player.

The Miami Open organizers stated to BBC Sport that everyone’s safety and security was taken “extremely seriously.”

In a statement, they said, “We constantly evaluate any potential threats and take every precaution to respond appropriately.”

The WTA echoed those assertions, saying that “comprehensive” security measures are in place to “promptly and effectively” deal with any incidents.

The WTA stated that while the details of these are not public, they remain true to our commitment to keeping a safe environment for both players and attendees of our events.

The most recent incident involving a WTA player is a stark reminder of the dangers that female athletes are exposed to regularly.

When she saw a man who she had already reported for “exhibiting fixated behavior” in the stands of her match in Dubai last month, Raducanu, 22, recoiled in horror.