Former US Open champion Emma Raducanu broke down in tears and hid behind the umpire’s chair early in a Dubai Tennis Championships match on Wednesday (AEDT), but why the young gun was distressed remains unclear.

Great Britain’s Raducanu conceded an early break to Czechia’s Karolina Muchova in the second round of the tournament, before walking toward the umpire’s chair, leaning against it as she cried and using the chair to shield herself from the spotlight.

Muchova, 28, strolled over to her 22-year-old opponent and consoled her.

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Raducanu then wiped tears from her face with a towel before resuming the match.

She was dealt a double break but fought back to force a tiebreak, before going down 7-6(6), 6-4 in two hours and four minutes.

She had a set point in the opening set but couldn’t close it out.

Raducanu did not appear to be struggling with an injury and an absence of courtside microphones made it difficult to pinpoint why she was upset.

“Unfortunately we cannot hear what is going on, but it doesn’t look good … for Raducanu,” said British commentator Candy Reid.

“[She] appears to be in tears here and this is very, very concerning. Something has happened and I am not sure what it is.

“Karolina Muchova, one of the goodies on the WTA tour, [is] just consoling her opponent.

“You never want to see a player in tears on court; this is meant to be a fun game.”

Raducanu’s breakdown may have been due at least in part to her recent split with coach Nick Cavaday.

Raducanu and Cavady parted ways in late January due to Cavady’s health issues, ending a seemingly happy partnership that had lasted 14 months.

“I’d like to thank Nick for a great partnership over the last year and a bit,” Raducanu said at the time of the split.

“Especially being post-surgeries, he helped get me back inside the world’s top 60.

“I wish him all the best in his next chapter and no doubt we’ll stay in touch.”

Andrew Richardson was Raducanu’s coach when she won the 2021 US Open at the age of just 18.

She’s admitted to struggling in the wake of her US Open triumph.

“When I won I was extremely naive,” Raducanu said in 2023.

“What I have realised in the past two years, the tour and everything that comes with it, [is] it’s not a very nice, trusting and safe space.”

Muchova will face American McCartney Kessler in the third round of the Dubai Tennis Championships.