Hannah Dal Sasso has opened up about the sickening abuse she faced while dating tennis star Thanasi Kokkinakis. Speaking on her Deadly Serious podcast with close friend Costeen Hatzi, Hannah revealed she received death threats from gamblers and stalkers, with the abuse extending to her family.
Death Threats and Stalking
One harrowing incident involved a stalker sending Hannah a screenshot of her cousin's location, accompanied by a threat to kill her if she did not break up with the tennis star. On another occasion, Hannah admitted she was terrified to leave her hotel after receiving a death threat from someone claiming to be on the premises.
Gambling-Related Hate
Hannah described the abuse as 'betting hate.' She said, 'People that were bettors would send me and my family death threats, which was kind of crazy. And stalkers, people that are obsessed, were crazy fans. They were nuts.' She recounted how a girl messaged her cousin's gymnastics location, saying, 'If you don't break up with him, I'm going to kill her.'
Daily Threats
Hannah revealed she received death threats daily. 'My friend's family, if they had any involvement with me on social media, they would receive paragraphs and paragraphs of capital letter death threats,' she said. She recalled a tournament in Adelaide where she was too scared to leave her hotel room after a threat.
Costeen Hatzi's Experience
Costeen Hatzi, who also dated tennis star Nick Kyrgios, revealed she received similar abuse. 'I'd get loads of hate comments about me, about him, the way he plays tennis, but I'd just ignore it,' she said. She noted that the abuse has settled since she ended her relationship.
Broader Safety Concerns
The pair discussed the stabbing of Monica Seles in 1993 and highlighted ongoing safety issues for women in tennis. In February, Emma Raducanu was reduced to tears during a match in Dubai after spotting a man who had previously exhibited fixated behavior towards her. The man had trailed her across four countries and tried to buy Wimbledon tickets despite a restraining order.
