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.
“We monitor the network to catch these types of issues. Constructive criticism is one thing, and threats, hate speech or even disturbance during training is another — this cannot be condoned,” a statement from Swiatek's team said Wednesday. “We reported the matter to the tournament organizer, as well as to the WTA ... which reacted immediately and took additional precautions, such as additional security, for which we are very grateful.”
The episode — first reported by BBC Sport — 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.
“Ensuring the safety of the players is crucial — they are the ones at the center of the event — and it is our job to protect them,” the statement from Swiatek's team said.
The No. 2-seeded Swiatek lost to wild card Alexandra Eala in the quarterfinals Wednesday. Asked afterward whether the security situation disrupted her match preparation, Swiatek replied: “No, I wouldn't say so.”
“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.”
The Miami Open issued a statement saying: “We take the safety and security of all players and tournament attendees extremely seriously. We constantly evaluate any potential threats and take every measure to respond appropriately. To ensure the effectiveness of these efforts, we do not disclose the details of our security operations.”
At the Dubai Championships last month, Raducanu said, she could barely breathe and her eyes filled with tears when a stalker who had approached her earlier in the tournament was in the stands during her match.
Raducanu spoke to the chair umpire, and the man was ejected from the court and later detained by police.
In 2022, an obsessive fan was given a restraining order after going to Raducanu's home three times.
AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
Iga Swiatek, of Poland, serves to Caroline Garcia, of France, during the Miami Open tennis tournament, Friday, March 21, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Iga Swiatek, of Poland, hits a return to Caroline Garcia, of France, during the Miami Open tennis tournament, Friday, March 21, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
CRANS-MONTANA, Switzerland (AP) — In the aftermath of a fire inside a Swiss Alpine bar that killed 40 people celebrating the new year, survivors, friends and family members, the region’s top authorities and even Pope Leo have spoken to the public in remarks in French, Italian, German and English, reflecting the tradition of Swiss multilingualism.
Another 119 people were injured in the blaze early Thursday as it ripped through the busy Le Constellation bar at the ski resort of Crans-Montana, authorities said. It was one of the deadliest tragedies in Switzerland’s history.
Investigators said Friday that they believe sparkling candles atop Champagne bottles ignited the fatal fire when they came too close to the ceiling of the crowded bar.
Here’s a look at what people said in the wake of the disaster:
— “I’m looking everywhere. The body of my son is somewhere,” Laetitia Brodard told reporters Friday in Crans-Montana as she searched for her son, 16-year-old Arthur. “I want to know, where is my child, and be by his side. Wherever that may be, be it in the intensive care unit or the morgue.”
— “We were bringing people out, people were collapsing. We were doing everything we could to save them, we helped as many as we could. We saw people screaming, running,” Marc-Antoine Chavanon, 14, told The Associated Press in Crans-Montana on Friday, recounting how he rushed to the bar to help the injured. “There was one of our friends: She was struggling to get out, she was all burned. You can’t imagine the pain I saw.”
— “It was hard to live through for everyone. Also probably because everyone was asking themselves, ‘Was my child, my cousin, someone from the region at this party?’” Eric Bonvin, general director of the regional hospital in Sion that took in dozens of injured people, told AP on Friday. “This place was very well known as somewhere to celebrate the new year,” Bonvin said. “Also, seeing young people arrive — that’s always traumatic.”
— “I have seen horror, and I don’t know what else would be worse than this,” Gianni Campolo, a Swiss 19-year-old who was in Crans-Montana on vacation and rushed to the bar to help first responders, told France's TF1 television.
—“You will understand that the priority today is truly placed on identification, in order to allow the families to begin their mourning,” Beatrice Pilloud, the Valais region's attorney general, told reporters Friday during a news conference in Sion.
Pope Leo said in a telegram Friday to the bishop of Sion that he " wishes to express his compassion and concern to the relatives of the victims. He prays that the Lord will welcome the deceased into His abode of peace and light, and will sustain the courage of those who suffer in their hearts or in their bodies.”
— “We have numerous accounts of heroic actions, one could say of very strong solidarity in the moment,” Cantonal head of government Mathias Reynard told RTS radio Friday. "In the first minutes it was citizens — and in large part young people — who saved lives with their courage.”
— “Switzerland is a strong country not because it is sheltered from drama, but because it knows how to face them with courage and a spirit of mutual help," Swiss President Guy Parmelin, speaking on his first day in the position that changes hands annually, told reporters Thursday.
People bring flowers near the sealed off Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana, Swiss Alps, Switzerland, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, where a devastating fire left dead and injured during the New Year's celebrations. (AP Photo/ Antonio Calanni)
A woman holding a stuffed animal, whose daughter is missing, gather with others near the sealed-off Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, where a devastating fire left dead and injured during the New Year's celebrations. (AP Photo/Baz Ratner)
People light candles near the sealed off Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana, Swiss Alps, Switzerland, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, where a devastating fire left dead and injured during the New Year's celebrations. (AP Photo/ Antonio Calanni)
