Iga Swiatek taunted by aggressive fan at Miami Open after he harassed her online
Tennis world No.2 Iga Swiatek received increased security after she was targeted by a man who was “aggressive and taunting” her Saturday during a practice session at the Miami Open, according to BBC Sport.
Representatives for the Polish athlete said the unnamed man had previously harassed Swiatek, 23, via messages sent through her social media.“The Miami incident appears to be a direct transition from verbal aggression online to harassment in the real world,” Swiatek’s team said, adding that the incident was immediately reported to organizers at the event.“He was aggressive and taunting.”The man reportedly shouted personal insults about Swiatek’s family, the BBC said.A blurry video that is said to have captured the incident is circulating on social media.It showed a few people practicing while a man, not seen in the clip, shouted in Polish.The man accused of harassing Swiatek is said to be obsessed with her and has since deleted his online footprint of her, according to multiple reports.
Swiatek is set to face Alexandra Eala, a 19-year-old wild card from the Philippines, in the quarterfinals of the Miami Open on Wednesday.The Miami Open emphasized it takes the tournament’s safety and security “extremely seriously.”“We constantly evaluate any potential threats and take every measure to respond appropriately,” they said in a statement.The WTA added that it has security protocols in place to deal with incidents to maintain a safe environment for players.
“The details of these are not something we discuss publicly,” WTA said.“But we are steadfast in our commitment to maintaining a safe environment for players and everyone attending one of our events.”Swiatek made headlines when she suffered a loss to 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva in the semifinals at Indian Wells.
In an on-court outburst, Swiatek received a ball from the ball boy and then spiked it back in his direction and nearly hit him.She explained in a post on her Instagram that s...