Katie Boulter, Britain’s No. 2 tennis player, has revealed the extent of online abuse she and other players endure, including death threats and explicit images. Speaking after her victory at the Nottingham Open, Boulter said many messages come from frustrated gamblers who have lost money.
Among the messages she shared from the French Open was one reading “Hope you get cancer”, while another said “Go to hell. I lost money my mother sent me.” A third threatened to damage her grandmother’s grave. Boulter stated she is past worrying about the comments but wants to raise awareness and find ways to stop such abuse.
The WTA and ITF’s first report on online abuse, published Tuesday, revealed that 458 players had been subjected to direct threats. The Signify Group’s Threat Matrix system, used since last year, found that 40% of overall abuse came from gamblers, rising to 77% for direct messages to players’ personal accounts.
Boulter’s fiancé Alex de Minaur praised her for highlighting the issue, noting that players must deal with “angry gamblers” after losses. WTA players’ council member Jessica Pegula called for the gambling industry and social media companies to tackle the problem at its source. Other players, including Sonay Kartal and Harriet Dart, shared similar experiences, with Dart noting that the abuse is often so severe it is reported to law enforcement.
