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Tennis player Iga Świątek was targeted by a man who was “aggressive and taunting” her during her Saturday, March 22, practice session at the Miami Open, according to BBC Sport.
Świątek, 23, was practicing on Saturday when the aggressor started verbally abusing her at the Miami Open. The man allegedly shouted personal insults about Świątek’s family.
“The Miami incident appears to be a direct transition from verbal aggression online to harassment in the real world,” a representative for the Polish player said in a statement to BBC Sport. “He was aggressive and taunting.”
Świątek’s reps told the BBC that the incident was immediately reported to the tournament organizers. The man was not identified in the BBC report.
“We take the safety and security of all players and tournament attendees extremely seriously,” the Miami Open said in a statement to PEOPLE. “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.”
Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) said “comprehensive” security protocols have been arranged to ensure any incidents are “promptly and effectively” handled.
“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,” WTA said, per BBC Sport.
The Saturday incident was followed by Świątek’s quarter-final match against Alexandra Eala on Wednesday, March 26. Eala defeated Świątek, 6-2 7-5. Eala will face either Britain’s Emma Raducanu or American Jessica Pegula in the semi-finals on Thursday, March 27.
Additionally, the recent practice interruption follows Raducanu’s experience at the Dubai Tennis Championships, when she spotted a “fixated” man in the crowd on Tuesday, Feb. 18.
At the time, Raducanu said she struggled to breathe and “couldn’t see the ball through tears” when her match last month was paused while security escorted the man out of the crowd.
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Representatives for Świątek and the Women’s Tennis Association did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for more information on Wednesday.
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