British tennis player Jodie Burrage has publicly called on social media platforms to hold individuals accountable for sending death threats and abusive messages. The 27-year-old received a barrage of online abuse following her first-round defeat at the Chennai Open in India, losing 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 to Vaishnavi Adkar. Burrage shared a video of the abusive messages on Instagram, stating, "Nice welcome back to the tour.
I remember why I left." She described physical distress during the match, including low blood pressure and shaking, and had to be checked by doctors. The WTA's Threat Matrix service, launched three years ago to combat online abuse, reported over 12,000 abusive posts against female players in 2025. Angry gamblers were responsible for 42% of verified abuse and 59% of serious abuse.
Burrage emphasized that the issue extends beyond tennis, affecting all sports and social media users, and stressed the need for systemic change.
Source: Sky Sports Champions League · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing