Katie Boulter: Tennis Star Reveals Online Abuse
- Professional tennis players are increasingly targeted by social media abuse,with a significant portion stemming from gambling-related anger.
- In 2024, approximately 8,000 abusive messages were sent publicly to 458 tennis players on social media, according to data compiled by Signify, the International Tennis Federation (ITF), and...
- The data showed that 26% of the abuse was directed at just five players.
tennis star Katie Boulter confronts the harsh reality of online abuse,revealing how social media negativity impacts professional players. Discover how she, and many other athletes face a barrage of abusive messages, often linked to gambling outcomes. Data reveals that a ample portion of online attacks target tennis players,with a significant correlation to betting-related anger. Authorities are actively combating this trend, taking firm action against abusers. News Directory 3 provides details on the measures being taken by tennis organizations, social media platforms, and the betting industry to protect players. Explore the impact of these attacks on the sport. Find out more about the steps being taken to curb the tide of online hate. Discover what’s next…
Tennis Stars Face Social Media Abuse,Betting Link Emerges
Updated June 17,2025
Professional tennis players are increasingly targeted by social media abuse,with a significant portion stemming from gambling-related anger. Data indicates that hundreds of players have been subjected to violent and threatening messages.
In 2024, approximately 8,000 abusive messages were sent publicly to 458 tennis players on social media, according to data compiled by Signify, the International Tennis Federation (ITF), and the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA). Signify uses an AI-driven system called Threat Matrix to detect online abuse.
The data showed that 26% of the abuse was directed at just five players. One prolific account sent 263 abusive messages,leading to 15 accounts being reported to law enforcement. Actions were taken against nine of the top 10 most abusive accounts,including suspensions and content removal,with the majority linked to disgruntled gamblers.
Authorities shared details of 39 account holders with tennis organizations and the betting industry for further investigation and action. Across the year, 40% of detected abuse originated from angry gamblers, with the timing and content of messages clearly related to betting activities.
Tennis pro Katie Boulter noted that she often receives abuse after both wins and losses, which she believes is often from people who have placed bets on her matches. While she has learned to cope, she acknowledged the impact of such messages.
“As far as death threats,it’s just not something you want to be reading straight after an emotional loss,” Boulter said. “A lot of the time you get it after you win as well.”
The Betting and Gaming Council stated that its members “do not tolerate abuse on social media, which has no place in betting or sport.” The council emphasized the need for social media companies to take swift action against abusive users and remove offensive content.
meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, declined to comment directly but highlighted existing tools designed to prevent users from seeing abuse, including features to hide and filter offensive content, and also technology to track and remove abusive material.
What’s next
The tennis world continues to grapple with the issue of online abuse, with ongoing efforts to identify and penalize offenders, and to provide support for players who are targeted. Further collaboration between tennis authorities, social media platforms, and the betting industry is expected to address the problem.