Tennis star talks about nightmare experience with stalker

British tennis player Katie Boulter experiences the dark side of fame. Unfortunately, threats and persecution are part of everyday life for them.

London – Fame has its dark side. The British tennis player Katie Boulter, the number 1 English women’s tennis player and number 24 in the world, had to experience this the painful way. At the Nottingham Open, one of the most important preparation tournaments for Wimbledon, she was the victim of a stalker. Boulter won the tournament in 2023 and 2024, but the triumph was overshadowed by a nightmare.

“I will hurt you”: Tennis star talks about nightmare experience with stalker

A mysterious man contacted Boulter online and threatened to hurt her at the venue. “I will hurt you if you get out,” he wrote to her.

Boulter immediately alerted the WTA, the women’s world tennis association, who were able to arrest the man on site. Thanks to strict security measures, the situation was defused. Boulter praised the WTA’s work towards the Guardian: “They really protect us excellently.”

Tennis queen and her boyfriend pursued by stalker

Unfortunately, this was not the first time Boulter had had such threatening experiences. She reported another incident in London when she went to pick up her boyfriend, Australian tennis star Alex de Minaur. “I was going to pick up Alex in Queens when suddenly someone followed me in the car. We drove to Sloane Square, walked around the shops, and the same car followed me home.”

Unfortunately, such experiences are not uncommon for women in public life. Boulter describes the emotional toll of such incidents: “It has somehow become normal. It’s a crazy world.” She adds: “It happens to all of us. Unfortunately, it’s part of being in the public eye. But it’s just uncomfortable.”