British tennis player Jodie Burrage has revealed she received death threats and abusive messages following her first-round loss at a WTA Tour event in Chennai, India. The 27-year-old, who was competing in her first singles match on the tour in 16 months, lost to Indian wildcard Vaishnavi Adkar in a closely fought three-set match.

Burrage, who has represented Great Britain in the Billie Jean King Cup, said she checked her phone after the match to find messages promising punishment and even threats on her life. "I try not to actually read what they say," she told BBC Sport. "Because we are so used to it - which is really quite sad - I don't fear for my safety."

A Growing Problem in Tennis

The abuse directed at Burrage is part of a wider issue in tennis, where players are frequently targeted by angry gamblers. According to a report by the WTA and World Tennis, "angry gamblers" were responsible for 42% of all verified abuse detected during the 2025 season. The report was based on data from the Signify Group's Threat Matrix service, which monitors social media posts directed at players.

Burrage's compatriot Katie Boulter previously shared her experiences of receiving near-daily abuse and death threats. The issue has raised concerns about the sponsorship deals some tournaments have struck with gambling firms, such as the Davis Cup's official sports betting partner and the US Open's multi-year deal with prediction-market platform Kalshi.

Calling for Accountability

Burrage believes social media platforms should do more to combat online abuse. "I think an ID should be put on every Instagram account, and then that way it makes more people more accountable for their actions on that platform," she said. "I think it would limit what people would say. People should be accountable for what they say and that's where I think there could be more of a push to change."

All WTA and World Tennis players have access to Threat Matrix's services, which monitor social media posts and can alert platforms and law enforcement to threatening content. The service can also share names with gaming companies, allowing them to ban offenders. However, Burrage chose to share screenshots of the abuse on Instagram to raise awareness, despite the availability of such support.

Resilience Amid Adversity

Despite the abuse, Burrage remains focused on her career. She has recently improved her singles ranking to 474 from a low of 888 in July, after being sidelined by injury and illness. "I'm at a place where it's all bigger picture for me and everything I'm doing now is to have a good season in 2027," she added. "I'm building a team that is really good around me. They know where I've been, what I've gone through. It's not what you want, but if I have to go through it, then I will."

Burrage's experience highlights the mental toll of online abuse on athletes and the need for greater accountability on social media platforms.