British tennis star Katie Boulter has bravely opened up about the shocking volume of online abuse she has endured throughout her career, including death threats and explicit messages that have targeted both her and her family. The 28-year-old, currently ranked 39th in the world and British No 2, revealed the grim reality behind the toxic messages that flood her social media inbox, often linked to frustrated gamblers upset over lost bets.
Boulter shared harrowing examples of the abuse, including messages telling her to "hope you get cancer," threats to damage her "grandmother's grave if she's not dead by tomorrow," and chilling instructions to buy "candles and a coffin for your entire family." One particularly distressing message, sent during her first-round match at the 2025 French Open against Carole Monnet, read: "Go to hell, I lost money my mother sent me." Despite losing the first-set tie-break, Boulter rallied impressively to claim a 6-7 (4-7), 6-1, 6-1 victory, marking her first main-draw win at Roland Garros.
Reflecting on these messages, Boulter expressed a mix of despair and vulnerability. "You really don't know if this person is on site, if they're nearby, or if they know where you live or anything like that," she told BBC Sport. "I just wonder who the person is that has sent that. I don't think it's something that I would ever say to my worst enemy. It's just an awful, awful thing to say to anyone. It's horrible." She noted that the abuse has become a distressing norm, increasing both in frequency and severity. "I think it increases in number, and it also increases in the level of things that people say. I don't think there's anything off the cards now," Boulter said.
Beyond the death threats and hateful comments, Boulter highlighted the problem of explicit images sent to players, which she finds particularly troubling, especially with younger athletes potentially exposed to such content. "I've had quite a few of those sorts of things," she admitted, adding that many are filtered out by platforms like Instagram, though some still make it through to players' hidden message requests. "Youngsters really shouldn't be seeing things like that or being sent things like that," she stressed.
Boulter’s fiancé, Australian world number 12 Alex de Minaur, also faces similar abuse, with the couple often receiving toxic messages related to each other's performances. "As a couple, we actually both get a little bit from each other as well," Boulter explained. "He tends to get some of my matches if I've lost, and if he's lost then sometimes I get his and likewise sometimes when he's won. You can get hundreds of messages after games, after points, after sets and after matches." De Minaur acknowledged the widespread nature of this abuse, calling it "great for her to step up and shine a light into this," while lamenting that "it doesn't change" despite many speaking out against it.
The issue of online abuse in tennis has gained increasing attention, particularly as it relates to betting. Data provided by Signify Group, the International Tennis Federation (ITF), and the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) reveal alarming statistics: in 2024 alone, approximately 8,000 abusive, violent, or threatening messages were publicly sent to 458 tennis players via social media. A staggering 40% of this abuse was linked to angry gamblers, often directed at players following match outcomes that affected bets.
Moreover, a significant portion of this abuse is concentrated among a small number of players, with five individuals receiving 26% of the total toxic messages. The most prolific abusive account sent 263 messages, and 15 accounts have been escalated to law enforcement. Nine of the ten most active abusive accounts have been suspended or had content removed, and details of 39 account holders have been shared with tennis authorities and the betting industry for further action.
To combat this growing problem, tennis authorities introduced Threat Matrix in January 2024, an AI-led detection system developed through collaboration between the ITF, WTA, All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC), and United States Tennis Association (USTA). Threat Matrix monitors social media platforms to identify and address harassment, abuse, and threats directed at players. It covers WTA and ITF players year-round, with all competitors offered the service during major tournaments such as Wimbledon and the US Open.
Sally Bolton, chief executive of AELTC, acknowledged the exacerbating role of social media in amplifying abuse. "We try very hard to protect the players when they're on site and digitally we are investing in helping to support them to not have that abuse happen," she said. "It's disappointing that athletes aren't able to go about what they do without receiving that abuse, but unfortunately it is a reality, and betting on sport now I'm afraid is also a reality, so we have to think about how we can mitigate some of that threat and risk." The WTA and ITF emphasized that protecting players from online abuse is a key priority, with repercussions for perpetrators including bans from events and law enforcement involvement.
Other prominent players have also spoken out about the abuse they face. French player Caroline Garcia, then ranked world number 30, urged fans to remember that athletes "are human," while current world No. 8 Iga Swiatek and US Open finalist Jessica Pegula have described death threats and family-targeted abuse as part of their experience. Pegula called for the gambling industry and social media companies to act decisively, stating, "Online abuse is unacceptable, and something that no player should have to endure. It's time for the gambling industry and social media companies to tackle the problem at its source and act to protect everyone facing these threats." American Taylor Townsend shared screenshots of racist and threatening emails after a match loss in 2023, while British players Sloane Stephens and Jay Clarke have also been subjected to racist abuse on social media.
The problem extends beyond tennis. England footballers Marcus Rashford, Bukayo Saka, and Jadon Sancho were targeted with abuse following Euro 2020, highlighting the wider sports community's struggle with toxic online behavior.
Within the British tennis community, players like Sonay Kartal, who recently defeated French qualifier Leolia Jeanjean, have confirmed receiving similar abuse. Harriet Dart described online harassment as "part and parcel" of professional tennis life and called for social media platforms to implement mandatory identification for account holders to curb anonymous abuse. "We live in the 21st century. How we're not ID'ing people on social media, and then they can be found … it's pretty horrific," she said.
Despite the grim realities, Boulter remains committed to raising awareness and pushing for change. After a commanding 6-2, 6-2 win over world No. 44 Lulu Sun in the Nottingham Open, she reflected on the support she received following her revelations. "Every single person was telling me to disregard it and how much they loved me and how much they appreciated me bringing this subject to light. I don't think people were aware of it. I don't think people were aware how much it happens to players," she said.
As Wimbledon approaches, starting June 30, 2025, Boulter is preparing for an anticipated spike in abuse at her home Grand Slam, a concern she shares with many in the sport. The British No 1 Jack Draper expressed worry about the impact of social media on younger generations, noting, "When you're younger and you lose a match or something, and you come into the professional tour and getting all this abuse saying they will come around your house and do this and that. It's not nice." Draper added, "There does need to be something that gets done about it not just in tennis but in professional sport. It's too easy to spread hate. I guess that's Twitter, Instagram, that's the world we live in. I'm not a fan of social media at all."
Katie Boulter’s candid revelations have shone a much-needed spotlight on the darker side of professional tennis, illustrating the urgent need for collective action from governing bodies, betting operators, social media platforms, and law enforcement. As the sport gears up for another thrilling Wimbledon, the fight to protect players from online abuse remains a critical and ongoing challenge.
