Social media abuse ‘completely out of control’

Former world number eight Daria Kasatkina speaks out about the escalating issue of social media abuse towards players, stating that it has spiraled “completely out of control”.

The 26-year-old Russian recently shared screenshots of the intimidating messages she received following her success in reaching the WTA Elite Trophy semi-finals in Zhuhai.

Among the disturbing messages, one commenter stated that she “should be dead”, while another blamed her for causing them to lose a bet.

Kasatkina’s disturbing experience joins a growing list of examples of online abuse that players continue to endure.

Online abuse is a long-standing problem in tennis, with players frequently targeted by gamblers, as well as in other sports.

In May, American tennis player Taylor Townsend exposed a death threat and racist abuse she received via email after her defeat at the Italian Open.

The French Open took steps to address this issue by offering players participating in the tournament artificial intelligence-based protection against social media abuse.

The technology, known as Bodyguard, aimed to filter out abusive comments on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, TikTok, and Discord.

Poland’s Iga Swiatek, a four-time Grand Slam winner, opted to use this initiative, stating that reading comments only leads to “negative feelings and thoughts”.

Social media platforms have claimed their commitment to combatting abuse, with Instagram introducing a feature in 2021 that allows users to automatically filter out abusive messages from accounts they do not follow.

This year, a WTA spokesperson emphasized their dedication to player safety, stating that they work with a risk assessment and management company to shut down social media accounts when necessary.

“The WTA has been actively educating and counseling players on this issue for several years, recognizing the increasing number of affected players. It is a matter we take very seriously,” the spokesperson added.