The British tennis player Katie Boulter has told the BBC that she received death threats that focused on her and her family during the French open and said in an interview that online abuse has become the norm and that she is concerned about the impact it will be on younger players.
The British number two added that the abuse extends to matches that are played by her fiancé, the Australian Alex de Minaur.
Boulter, who is 28 years old and arranged number 39 in the WTA, said she believes that many of the insulting messages are sent by people who post bets in tennis competitions.
The messages that threatened her loved ones were sent on 29 May during her French open first round match against Carole Monnet.
After losing the first set Tie-Break, Boulter won the match 6-7 (4), 6-1. 6-1.
But the loss of the tie -graker led to the indignation.
“I hope you get cancer,” said one message, while another called her “grandmother’s grave when she is not dead tomorrow” and “candles and a coffin for your whole family”. A third said, “Go to hell, I lost money that my mother sent me.”
Boulter, who shared with the BBC screenshots of the messages and revealed that she also gets explicit photos, said that she is worried about the toll taking the widespread abuse to younger players.
“At the start of my career it is probably something that I took very personally … Getting comments about the way you look like,” she said.
“It becomes clearer every time you go on your phone.
“I think it is increasing in number and it also increases in the level of things that people say. I don’t think there is something of the cards now.”
Emma Raducanu, left, was threatened by a fan earlier in the season. ((AP Photo: Joanna Chan))
Many other players have previously reported online abuse, while Boulter’s British countryman Emma Raducanu was recently reduced to tears after a man who showed “fixed behavior” opposite her was removed from the Dubai International.
“I think it just shows a bit how vulnerable we are,” Boulter said.
“You really don’t know if this person is on the spot. You really don’t know if they are in the area or whether they know where you live or something like that.”
In an attempt to try to protect athletes against that type of abuse, the International Tennis Federation (ITF), Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), All England Lawn Tennis Club and United States Tennis Association in 2023 the threat matrix.
The program monitors public social accounts for abuse and threatening content on social networks. It also offers support for players.
Despite years of online abuse, Boulter said that the volume has become overwhelming – and her concern now lies in protecting those who stand up behind her.
“I think by the end of where I am now, I think there is just too much to almost do that,” she said.
“As a tennis player, I just want to see and protect some of the younger players and try to find a way to find this whole situation.”
According to the statistics that the BBC provides to the BBC by the Data Science company, the ITF and WTA are sent to 458 tennis players about 8,000 offensive, violent or threatening messages via their social media accounts in 2024.
Boulter, who was abused after victories and losses, said that much comes from people who have placed bets in her competitions.
“As for the death threats, it’s just not something that you want to read immediately after an emotional loss,” she said.
“You often get it even after you have won.”
Katie Boulter lost to Madison Keys in the second round of the French Open. ((AP Photo: Thibault Camus))
According to Signify, angry gamblers sent 40 percent of all detected abuse, with messages that were clearly related to gambling activities because of the timing or content of the abuse.
The ITF and WTA have issued a statement in which the gambling industry was encouraged to tackle abuse linked to gambling.
“Protection of players and the wider tennis family against Vile Online threat and abuse is an important priority for us,” said a spokesperson for the WTA and ITF.
“From escalation of law enforcement and platform intervention to the prohibition of abusers of our events, to understand perpetrators that they will have consequences for their actions.
“Given the clear evidence that is emphasized by threat matrix about the relationship between angry gamblers and productive online abuse and threat, we call for a constructive dialogue with the gambling industry to tackle this problem.
“Everyone – gambling operators, social media platforms, administrative bodies, players and law enforcers – has the responsibility to make the online space safer and more positive.”
Jessica Pegula, member of the WTA Players’ Council, said that online abuse is “unacceptable”.
“I welcome the work that the WTA and ITF do with threat matrix to identify and take action against the abusers, whose behavior is so often linked to gambling. But it is not enough in itself.
“It is time for the gambling industry and social media companies to tackle and act the problem at the source to protect everyone who faces these threats.”
Boulter said she is getting ready for the level of abuse to increase when she plays in Wimbledon, her home Grand Slam. The Gras-Court tournament starts on June 30.
AP/ABC
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