Jodie Burrage demands social media accountability after receiving death threats in Chennai
British tennis star Jodie Burrage has demanded social media platforms enforce strict accountability for the death threats and abuse she received after her defeat in Chennai, India. The 27-year-old, playing her first WTA Tour match since Wimbledon last summer, shared screenshots of hostile messages sent to her Instagram account following a first-round loss on Tuesday.
Burrage suffered a gruelling 3-6 6-3 7-5 defeat by India’s Vaishnavi Adkar in sweltering conditions, during which she was visibly shaking and required medical attention for her blood pressure and oxygen levels. Despite resuming the contest, she lost the final game to love, an outcome that triggered a wave of online hostility from spectators and gamblers.
“I received quite a few messages on social media,” Burrage said, describing the volume of abusive content directed at her personal accounts immediately after the match concluded. She noted that the messages contained threats and insults that no athlete should have to endure following a competitive sporting event.
The player explained that she was in the physio room with doctors when she began receiving the messages, forcing her to check her phone to reassure family and friends back home that she was safe. “I was on my phone in the physio room with the doctors and replying to people, telling them I was OK, and then I was seeing these messages come up on my phone,” she recalled.
Burrage admitted that while she did not read most of the messages, she captured screenshots to share with trusted individuals before deciding to post them publicly to raise awareness about the severity of online abuse in tennis. “I didn’t actually look at most of the messages. I screenshot some to send to someone to show them and then decided to post them [in a video] for awareness of what it’s like after a tough loss,” she stated.
Data from the WTA’s Threat Matrix service revealed that female tennis players faced more than 12,000 abusive posts and messages on social media in 2025, with angry gamblers responsible for 42 per cent of verified abuse and 59 per cent of serious abuse. The AI-led service, launched in partnership with Wimbledon, World Tennis, and the United States Tennis Association, aims to identify and tackle such behaviour systematically.
Burrage highlighted that the abuse is not limited to losses, noting that she frequently receives hostile comments even after winning matches due to the complex nature of tennis betting markets. “It’s not just after losses. If I win a match, I normally get some sort of abuse as well, with the way that tennis works.
You can bet on a lot of things,” she explained.
She identified financial loss as the primary driver behind the anger, stating that the messages often explicitly demand money back or blame the player for the bettor’s poor choices. “I think that’s where the anger comes from; it’s probably losing money. And the messages say it as well.
They want their money back or shouldn’t have bet, or I lost the money,” Burrage said.
Reflecting on the recent incident, Burrage acknowledged the difficulty of receiving such messages after a physically demanding and emotionally draining match. “It’s not easy after a tough loss like that to receive those kind of messages. I normally deal with it pretty well,” she admitted, emphasising the mental toll of the experience.
Although she described herself as accustomed to “batting away” such comments, Burrage insisted that normalising this behaviour is unacceptable and that players should not have to endure such harassment. “At the end of the day, we’re pretty used to receiving it. So you get used to batting it away and not thinking twice about it.
But I shouldn’t have to – that’s the point! she asserted.
She expressed gratitude for the public outcry and support from fans who were shocked by the level of abuse she faced, viewing the incident as a catalyst for broader change in how digital platforms handle hate speech. “It’s amazing that a lot of people got in touch and were so up in arms, saying, ‘I can’t believe you receive this’,” she noted.
Burrage believes that generating this level of public conversation is crucial to driving systemic changes in social media moderation and player safety protocols. “I’m kind of glad it got the awareness. I guess I’ve got people talking because I do believe something needs to happen.
Trying to change it is the most important thing,” she said.
She argued that the issue extends beyond tennis to all sports and social media users, suggesting that the lack of accountability is a widespread digital problem rather than a sport-specific one. “It’s all sports, sports people and whoever’s on social media as well. Beyond tennis and sports people, it’s social media in general, I think.
So it’s a lot bigger than me, than other people, than tennis,” she explained.
Burrage is one of several players who have previously criticised the governing bodies and social media companies for failing to effectively tackle the epidemic of online abuse targeting athletes. A report released in July indicated that 66 per cent of serious abusive posts and comments identified by the programme were removed, while 35 accounts linked to 12 individuals were escalated to law enforcement.
Despite these efforts, Burrage, who achieved a career-high WTA singles ranking of No 85 in 2023, believes more robust measures are required to protect players from harassment and threats. She specifically called for mandatory identity verification for social media accounts to ensure users are held responsible for their digital actions.
“What hasn’t been done is having an ID connected to your social media account. I feel like that’s an easy fix. I could be being naive with that.
But then it makes people accountable, and it makes people accountable for what they post and what they say,” she argued.
She emphasised that identity verification would allow for effective legal action against those who issue threats, particularly when an individual’s safety is compromised. “If actions want to be taken, then they can, especially with threats. When someone’s safety is being compromised,” she stated, highlighting the need for enforceable consequences.
The WTA has offered additional support to Burrage, although the player feels the governing body for women’s tennis can only do so much without greater cooperation from social media platforms. She stressed that the primary responsibility lies with the platforms to limit abuse and enforce accountability for users.
“I think the WTA doing everything they can. So I’ll wait to see if that helps,” she said, acknowledging the ongoing efforts by the organisation.
“For me, it’s more the platforms themselves. I think more could be done to try and limit it and to try and change it and make people accountable for what they say to other people online,” she added, directing her criticism towards the tech giants hosting the content.
Having made her first singles appearance on the tour in Chennai since a first-round defeat at Wimbledon in 2025, Burrage is now focusing on a solid pre-season block of training before returning to action in the new year. She is prioritising her physical recovery and preparation for the upcoming season.
“Everything I’m doing now is to build up for my 2027,” she said, outlining her long-term strategic goals for her career. She emphasised the importance of rebuilding her physical strength after a challenging period.
“I really feel I need to build my body back up. I got sick over grass [court season] this year, which I’m still feeling the effects of,” she explained, detailing the physical challenges she has faced recently.
“So I’m wanting to put a really good block in, which I’m kind of starting now, to be honest with the stuff off the court. Everything is for a good start in 2027, where I’ll go to Australia,” she said, expressing her excitement for the upcoming season.
“I always love it there. To start in a place that I’ve played well in and where I’m hopefully in a good spot. It’s exciting and I’m excited to get back out there,” she concluded, looking forward to her return to competitive tennis.
In response to Burrage highlighting the abuse she received, a WTA spokesperson confirmed that protecting players and the wider tennis family from online threats and abuse is a key priority for the organisation. The statement outlined the specific measures currently in place to support affected players.
“We have WTA staff on the ground in Chennai offering Jodie support, along with our wider player welfare and Threat Matrix team,” the spokesperson said, detailing the immediate support provided to the player.
“Through Threat Matrix, a system we established in 2023, delivered by Signify Group alongside World Tennis, we identify, investigate and take action against those responsible,” the statement continued, explaining the operational framework of the anti-abuse initiative.
“This includes reporting abusive content for removal, escalating serious cases to law enforcement and supporting action to prevent real-world harm,” the spokesperson added, highlighting the multi-faceted approach to addressing online harassment.
“As much of the abuse players receive comes through direct messages, the WTA has offered Jodie additional support, including a private channel to report abusive direct messages, and moderation that hides abusive comments on public channels before she sees them,” the statement noted.
“Threat Matrix is also reporting the abuse Jodie received to the platforms, and investigations are underway to identify those responsible,” the spokesperson confirmed, indicating that active steps are being taken to trace the source of the threats.
“Where the abuse is linked to betting, they will be added to the Bad Actor programme so betting operators can act against their accounts,” the statement concluded, linking the online abuse to broader efforts to combat fraudulent and abusive betting behaviour.
