A wave of threatening and abusive messages from gamblers has sparked outrage after Elina Svitolina’s loss to Naomi Osaka, highlighting rising harassment of athletes in professional tennis.
At a Glance
- Elina Svitolina received hate-filled messages after losing at the Canadian Open
- Abusers included gamblers upset over losing bets on the match
- Messages included death threats, rape threats, and racial slurs
- WTA reports over 8,000 abuse incidents tied to betting in 2024
- Other players have also condemned gambling-related online harassment
Abuse After Defeat
Ukrainian tennis star Elina Svitolina denounced a flood of abuse she received following her quarterfinal loss to Naomi Osaka at the Canadian Open on August 5. The messages, which surfaced primarily on social media, included death threats, rape threats, and racist comments targeting her husband, French tennis player Gaël Monfils. Many of the abusive comments were traced to individuals who claimed to have lost money betting on the match.
Svitolina, 30, took to Instagram to condemn the behavior, stating that she is “a mom before an athlete” and calling the attackers “shameful.” She emphasized that such behavior reflects poorly on the individuals and pointed out the gendered nature of the harassment, noting how mothers in sports are often targeted with uniquely personal abuse.
Watch now: Elina Svitolina Reveals Death Threats and Racist Abuse from Angry Gamblers · YouTube
The tennis community expressed concern over the volume and severity of the abuse. According to recent reports, similar episodes are becoming increasingly common, particularly in high-stakes matches where gambling losses may provoke online retaliation from anonymous users.
WTA Confronts Widespread Harassment
Svitolina’s case underscores a growing issue within professional tennis. A joint report by the WTA and ITF confirmed that more than 458 players received over 8,000 abusive messages during the 2024 season. An estimated 40% of those messages were linked to gambling-related frustration. The incidents have prompted calls for stricter moderation from social media platforms and increased accountability for betting platforms that may enable toxic behavior.
Other prominent players, including Caroline García, Katie Boulter, and Jessica Pegula, have publicly shared similar experiences. Many have criticized both the tennis authorities and tech companies for failing to implement effective safeguards, despite years of warnings about this trend.
Some abuse crosses international lines, such as messages sent to Svitolina that appeared to reference the war in Ukraine. Certain users reportedly mocked the conflict or celebrated acts of violence, revealing how online threats often merge sports disappointment with geopolitical hostility.
Player Advocacy and Institutional Response
Despite public outcry, the response from tennis governing bodies has been limited. The WTA and ITF have increased efforts to track harassment, but enforcement mechanisms and player protections remain inconsistent. Svitolina’s high-profile rebuke may intensify pressure on these institutions to adopt more robust safety protocols.
Svitolina’s husband, Monfils, has previously joked about online abuse from bettors but also acknowledged its disturbing frequency. He once remarked that he didn’t understand why people still bet on him, considering his age and current ranking. The couple’s visibility has made them frequent targets, a status that also amplifies the conversation around athlete safety in the digital age.
As the Cincinnati Open approaches, where Svitolina is expected to compete next, attention will likely remain fixed on how the WTA handles online abuse and whether betting-related harassment will prompt structural changes across the sport.
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