Rising Concerns Over Online Harassment in Sports
Coco Gauff has joined a growing list of athletes voicing their frustrations over the alarming and often scary levels of abuse they encounter on social media platforms. The epidemic of online harassment is not a new phenomenon; numerous sports figures grapple with striking a balance between engaging with their loyal supporters and shielding themselves from the vitriol spewed by trolls.
Jessica Pegula’s Experience
Recently, Jessica Pegula highlighted the unsettling behavior of online bettors through an Instagram update following her defeat in the 2025 Roland Garros quarterfinals to Lois Boisson, a local wildcard. The hateful comments she received ranged from belittling her athletic skills to grotesque suggestions regarding her mental health, especially as they surfaced during her mourning for a recently deceased pet.
Voicing Solidarity at the Berlin Open
Katie Boulter also shed light on her experiences of social media abuse at the 2025 Nottingham Open, where her fiancé, Alex de Minaur, noted that some players choose to avoid managing their online presence due to the vitriol directed at them. Gauff expressed solidarity with her fellow athletes during a press conference at the 2025 Berlin Open, voicing that the onslaught of digital attacks they’ve endured is more severe than what many might expect.
“I have received direct messages filled with threats against my life and that of my loved ones, alongside racist slurs and other degrading content. This is a disgusting aspect of the sport,”
Calls for Enhanced Protective Measures
While the 21-year-old athlete acknowledged the efforts of the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) to shield players from excessive hate, she urged social media companies to enhance their protective measures.
“The WTA is making strides to offer us security, but I genuinely believe that many of these platforms can do much more. For instance, TikTok offers better comment filtering that diminishes visibility to offensive remarks. In contrast, I find Instagram to be particularly inadequate in managing this issue; I see nearly all negative comments there,”
The Real-Life Implications of Online Abuse
It is indeed troubling that athletes must frequently confront such toxic behavior, which can overshadow the encouragement and support they receive from true fans. The environment can become so hostile that players may hesitate to engage with their followers due to fear of encountering malicious remarks.
Furthermore, professional athletes are not only vulnerable online but are also at risk of real-life threats. Emma Raducanu’s recent experiences serve as a stark reminder; after being stalked at three events during the 2025 Middle Eastern tour, she was granted a restraining order against her harasser. Yet, the individual attempted to secure tickets for the prestigious 2025 Wimbledon Championships, prompting the tournament’s security to intervene. Raducanu later reflected on how it took time for her to overcome the fears stemming from the stalking incidents.
Post-Roland Garros Challenges for Gauff
Following her victory at Roland Garros, Gauff faced a tough defeat in her first match, struggling against Xinyu Wang in Berlin. Competing shortly after her monumental win at the French Open proved challenging, and she never seemed at ease during the match in Germany.
