Women in sport are left exposed by the lack of backing that men receive, and by toxic attitudes that must be called out
If you watched any of Emma Raducanu’s Tuesday match against Karolina Muchova, it was probably only the two clips, stitched together neatly for the news highlights. Raducanu approaching the umpire. Raducanu wiping away tears with a towel.
An emotional Raducanu is an instant headline, although this wasn’t a case of injury or frustration. Having seen a man in the crowd whose off-court behaviour had already concerned her, she was doing the sensible thing and reporting it. The Daily Mail reported that she was “reduced to cowering behind the umpire’s chair”. What a brilliantly multi-purpose use of language: paternalistic readers can get heroically angry on her behalf while the others write her off as a snowflake.
Written by Emma John
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/feb/20/harassment-of-emma-raducanu-reminds-us-women-still-bear-brunt-of-abuse under the title “Harassment of Emma Raducanu reminds us women still bear brunt of abuse | Emma John”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
