Jodie Burrage was subjected to death threats and online abuse after losing her first WTA Tour singles match in 16 months.
The 27-year-old Briton, ranked 474th in the world, exited in the first round of the Chennai Open when India’s Vaishnavi Adkar recovered from a set down to win 3-6, 6-3, 7-5.
As reported by BBC Sport on Tuesday, Burrage later posted an Instagram story showing a stream of direct messages that included abuse and death threats.
She added the comment: “Nice welcome back to tour. I remember why I left.”
German player Eva Lys publicly supported her, tagging the WTA and asking: “When will something be done?”
Burrage’s previous WTA main-draw singles appearance, outside of qualifying, was a first-round defeat at Wimbledon in July 2025.
The incident forms part of a larger problem. Female tennis players received more than 12,000 abusive social-media posts and messages last year, according to Signify Group data, with similar numbers recorded in 2025.
Angry gamblers were behind 42% of verified abuse and 59% of serious abuse cases that year.
Britain’s Katie Boulter has previously spoken about receiving death threats.
Players have called for identity verification on social-media platforms, while the WTA player board has described the abuse as unacceptable and potentially significant in its impact.
Gilbert Ekugbe is a journalist at Newspot NG with over a decade of experience reporting on business and economic affairs. He covers markets, corporate developments, finance, and Nigeria’s broader economic landscape. His reporting is informed by extensive newsroom experience and a strong commitment to accuracy and responsible journalism, helping readers understand complex business issues.
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