Karolína Muchová Distracted by Ex-Boyfriend at U.S. Open

FLUSHING MEADOWS, N.Y. — Karolína Muchová, the Czech Republic‘s world No. 13, had an emotional moment during her second-round match at the U.S. Open against Romania’s Sorana Cîrstea on Thursday. Muchová, who was serving at 4-1 in the first set, paused the match to wipe away tears after spotting her ex-boyfriend in the crowd.

Briefly shaken, she gestured toward the stands and apologized to Cîrstea for the delay. After regaining her composure, Muchová continued the match and eventually won, moving on to the third round.

In a post-match press conference, Muchová explained in Czech, with a translation provided by The Athletic: “Well… it wasn’t tennis-related. I don’t really like talking about it. But opposite my bench, my ex-boyfriend sat down. He sometimes shows up at places where he shouldn’t be.” She added that she asked him to leave, but he stayed for a while.

Despite the distraction, Muchová triumphed in the match, defeating Cîrstea. Afterwards, she mentioned that she did not report the encounter to the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) or the United States Tennis Association (USTA) prior to the tournament. Players can request that certain individuals be blacklisted from attending matches.

After her victory over fellow Czech Linda Nosková the following match, Muchová said, “Yeah, I’m alright. I didn’t make any report and everything is good.” When asked about her safety and the likelihood of a similar event occurring in the future, she replied, “I mean, who knows, right? I don’t know, so…”

A USTA spokesperson emphasized that player safety is a top priority for the event, detailing their security protocols and collaboration with law enforcement. “The U.S. Open is in constant communication with local and federal law enforcement, who also maintain a presence at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center,” the spokesperson said.

The issue of fixated individuals targeting athletes in tennis is becoming increasingly relevant. A former WTA executive suggested that the nature of the sport, combined with players’ visibility and appeal, creates a perfect environment for such encounters.

Muchová is set to face No. 27 seed Marta Kostyuk in the fourth round on Monday.