The professional tennis world is facing a disturbing epidemic that rarely makes headlines but deeply affects players’ lives. Online abuse, including death threats and vicious harassment, has become an increasingly troubling reality for tennis professionals. British player Katie Boulter’s recent revelation about the horrifying messages she received after her French Open loss has spotlighted an issue that’s been festering in tennis for years.
What was once considered an unfortunate side effect of fame has evolved into a systematic problem that governing bodies are finally being forced to address. Let’s examine the scope of this crisis and what’s being done to combat it.
The alarming reality of online abuse in tennis
Katie Boulter’s experience: a window into player suffering
Boulter’s case exemplifies the severity of what players endure. After a tie-break loss at Roland Garros, she was bombarded with messages hoping she gets cancer and threatening her family’s safety. “It becomes more apparent every single time you go on your phone,” she told BBC Sport. “I think it increases in number and it also increases in the level of things that people say. I don’t think there’s anything off the cards now.”
This isn’t simply about handling criticism – these are legitimate safety concerns. Boulter believes angry gamblers who lost money on her matches are behind many of these attacks, a pattern repeated throughout the tennis world.
Widespread problem affecting the entire tour
Boulter is far from alone. Stars like Emma Raducanu, Iga Swiatek’s mental game psychology, and Jessica Pegula have spoken out about similar experiences. Pegula has described constant death threats as “normal now” – a disturbing indication of how pervasive this problem has become.
According to a comprehensive 2024 report by the ITF and WTA, approximately 8,000 abusive, violent, or threatening messages were sent to 458 different players. Around 40% of these messages came from gamblers angry about losing bets, demonstrating a clear connection between tennis betting and player abuse.
Combating the online abuse epidemic
Tennis governing bodies’ response initiatives
The tennis world isn’t standing idle. The ITF, WTA, All England Lawn Tennis Club, and USTA launched the Threat Matrix system, which monitors social media for abusive content using AI and human analysts. Between January and October 2024, they screened 2.47 million posts, identified 12,000 abusive ones, and escalated 15 particularly concerning accounts to law enforcement.
The Threat Matrix service currently protects 7,739 players competing in ITF World Tennis Tour tournaments and 563 players in WTA tournaments. The system works across 39 languages and is designed to automatically monitor social media posts, provide rapid threat assessment, alert platforms to remove harmful content, support law enforcement investigations, and offer educational programs.
Mental health support for affected players
Recognizing that online abuse takes a severe psychological toll, the WTA has established a dedicated Mental Health & Wellness Department. This team offers education, training, and consultations focused on mental performance skills, handling tennis-specific stressors, developing tour life skills, and managing critical incidents.
Players like Raducanu at Queen’s quarterfinal have benefited from these resources during difficult periods. The department provides both in-person consultations at tournaments and telehealth sessions between events, allowing players continuous access to mental health support.
After Pegula’s defeat at Roland Garros, she discussed how managing online abuse has become part of players’ mental preparation for tournaments.
The road ahead: collective responsibility
While progress is being made, addressing online abuse requires a collaborative approach. Social media platforms like Meta have developed tools to filter offensive comments, but their effectiveness remains questionable given the volume of abuse players still report.
The WTA and ITF are also calling on the gambling industry to take responsibility. With 40% of abuse coming from angry bettors, betting operators have a clear obligation to help create a safer environment for the athletes whose performances drive their profits.
Until all stakeholders fully commit to solving this problem, tennis players will continue facing unacceptable harassment simply for doing their jobs. The psychological impact on players isn’t just a personal tragedy – it’s a threat to the integrity and appeal of the sport itself.
