Karolína Muchová, a tennis player from the Czech Republic, was moved to tears on the US Open court last week after seeing her estranged ex-boyfriend in the audience.

The sportswoman was serving at 1-4 against Sorana Cîrstea from Romania on Thursday (28 Aug) when she unexpectedly halted, staring into the stands.

Muchová, 29, then headed to the bench, took a towel, and wiped her face. She approached the chair umpire, reportedly apologizing for the brief interruption.

Throughout the remainder of the match, the European athlete continued to play while visibly emotional.

Later, during her post-match interview with the press, Muchová stated that her distress 'wasn't tennis related'.

The player suddenly stopped during the match (Al Bello/Getty Images)

According to a translation initially published by The Athletic, the World No 13 explained: "My ex-boyfriend was seated opposite my bench.

"He sometimes appears in places where he shouldn’t. It startled me a bit. I asked him to leave, he didn't, but eventually, he did go."

Muchová went on to admit: "It was difficult to concentrate at that moment."

Fortunately, despite being unsettled by her former partner's unexpected appearance, the Czech star managed to win the match.

Two days later, she triumphed over her fellow Czech, Linda Nosková.

"Yes, I’m fine. I didn’t file any report, and everything is okay," she assured the press regarding her ex's unsettling presence.

When asked if she's confident such incidents won't recur, she candidly replied: "I mean, who knows, right? I don’t know."

The details of Muchová's breakup with the man remain unclear.

However, players do have the option to block certain individuals from acquiring tickets to their matches.

The Czech later went on to win the game (Robert Prange/Getty Images)

Muchová's emotional moment comes just months after British champion Emma Raducanu was seen in tears during a Wimbledon match upon noticing a man in the crowd who had previously been convicted of harassing her in Dubai.

This man - later banned from the All England Club’s ticket ballot - had been given a restraining order against the 22-year-old, who was playing against Muchová at the time.

Raducanu reported in a press conference after the game that she 'couldn't see the ball through tears' and 'could barely breathe' after spotting him in the stands.

Not surprisingly, following this recent incident involving the Czech star, tennis fans are calling on tournament organizers to do more to ensure the safety and well-being of its players.

One social media user stated: "I feel for her. Stalking should be taken more seriously."

A similar incident occurred earlier this year involving Emma Raducanu (Sky Sports

Another suggested: "Tournaments should keep a list of banned individuals. It shouldn't even require a restraining order. Each player should be allowed to submit five names of anyone they choose."

"I hope they were removed immediately!" added a third.

The USTA has previously stated they take such situations seriously, noting that both on-site and online security teams collaborate with law enforcement to ensure a safe environment for all players.

"Player safety is a crucial part of our planning and execution for the US Open," a spokesperson for the organization told the press, as per the New York Post.