Professional tennis player Jodie Burrage has opened up about the severe online abuse and death threats she routinely receives following her matches, stating that while the situation is deeply concerning, she no longer fears for her personal safety. Following a grueling defeat where she struggled with her blood pressure after losing her first WTA Tour singles match in 16 months, Burrage checked her phone to find an influx of hostile messages and threats on her life after falling to Indian wildcard Vaishnavi Adkar with a scoreline of 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 in Chennai.
Coping with Constant Hostility
Burrage explained that she actively tries to avoid reading the abusive content directed at her online, noting that players have unfortunately grown accustomed to the relentless hostility. She pointed out that the professional tennis tour is already demanding and stressful enough on its own without the added burden of malicious commentary. Whether she wins or loses a match, the abuse remains a constant fixture, noting that even during a recent successful run at Wrexham where she won three out of four matches, hateful remarks followed every single outing.
The Role of Angry Gamblers
A significant driving force behind the targeted harassment of players comes from frustrated gamblers who place financial stakes on various aspects of tennis matches. According to the latest WTA and World Tennis report on online abuse, which utilized data from the Signify Group's Threat Matrix service, angry gamblers accounted for 42 percent of all verified abuse detected throughout the 2025 season. This persistent issue has sparked widespread unease within the sport regarding tournaments entering into lucrative sponsorship agreements with betting and prediction market firms.
Demanding Platform Accountability
To combat the rising tide of digital harassment, Burrage believes that social media companies must take more proactive measures to protect athletes and enforce strict user verification. She suggested that implementing mandatory ID verification for every Instagram account would significantly increase personal accountability and deter individuals from sending vicious threats. With safety monitoring services like Threat Matrix already providing real-time assessments and alerting authorities to dangerous content, players maintain access to robust support systems while focusing on their long-term athletic goals for the upcoming seasons.
