Angry sports bettors have emerged as the main drivers of hostility directed at professional tennis players, according to a report cited by Punch. The joint report by the WTA and World Tennis revealed that upset gamblers accounted for 42 per cent of all verified online abuse recorded during the 2025 season.
The findings were compiled using Signify Group’s Threat Matrix service, an intelligence tool that tracks threatening and insulting messages sent to athletes across digital platforms. The data has also increased worries about the sport's ties to the betting industry, especially as several tournaments maintain lucrative sponsorship deals with gambling operators.
British tennis player Jodie Burrage highlighted the issue after she received death threats following her return to action. The 27-year-old was knocked out in Chennai, India, losing 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 to Indian wildcard Vaishnavi Adkar in her first WTA Tour singles encounter in 16 months.
Speaking to BBC Sport, Burrage said she received a wave of aggressive posts and threats from disappointed punters and followers right after the defeat. She noted that players are subjected to hateful remarks whether they secure a victory or suffer a loss.
“You’ve got to have thick skin. There was some brutal stuff that was said, but I don’t take it to heart,” Burrage explained, though she admitted such toxicity is tough to handle when an athlete is already fighting personal and physical hurdles.
Burrage shared snapshots of the hateful texts on Instagram to expose the pattern and urged tech platforms to enforce identity verification. She insisted that removing total anonymity will stop users from terrorising players without consequences.
The British star has faced prolonged spells on the sidelines due to illness and recurring injuries. She has since improved her world ranking from 888 in July to 474, and she maintained that the online hostility will not derail her focus as she works towards the 2027 season.
