Jodie Burrage receives death threats and online abuse

British tennis player Jodie Burrage has been subjected to death threats and severe online harassment following her first-round loss at the Chennai Open. The 27-year-old, ranked 474th globally, lost to India’s Vaishnavi Adkar 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 in her first WTA Tour singles match in 16 months.

Burrage shared screenshots of the abusive direct messages on Instagram, including misogynistic insults and threats to her life. She commented on the experience by stating, “Nice welcome back to tour. I remember why I left.” German player Eva Lys publicly supported Burrage, tagging the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) to demand action.

The incident highlights a systemic issue of online abuse targeting female athletes. Data from the Signify Group indicates that female tennis players received over 12,000 abusive messages last year, with similar figures in 2025. Research shows that frustrated gamblers are responsible for a significant portion of this harassment, accounting for 42% of verified abuse and 59% of serious abuse cases.

Players and the WTA player board have called for increased accountability, with many advocating for social media platforms to implement identity verification measures to curb such behavior.