- Published
After struggling with her blood pressure as she lost her first WTA Tour singles match for 16 months, Jodie Burrage checked in with three things: a doctor, a physiotherapist, and her phone.
asserted
Burrage → publish → things
"I try not to actually read what they say," Burrage told BBC Sport from Chennai, where she is still competing in the doubles.
asserted
she → try → doubles
"Because we are so used to it - which is really quite sad - I don't fear for my safety.
"
asserted
I → fear → safety
You've got to have thick skin.
asserted
You → get → skin
There was some brutal stuff that was said, but I don't take it to heart.
asserted
I → be → heart
"Sometimes it hurts more than others.
asserted
it → hurt → others
If you've already got other stuff going on, or you're not in a great place, and that is put on top of everything else - this tour is tricky enough as it is."
asserted
it → get → everything
Burrage, who says her blood pressure "tanked" towards the end of the match, decided to share screenshots of the abuse on Instagram to raise awareness of an everyday problem for professional players.
asserted
pressure → say → players
"It happens every match - whether it's win or lose," the 27-year-old Briton said.
asserted
Briton → happen → ?
"Playing in Wrexham [on the World Tennis Tour last month], I won three matches [and] lost one.
asserted
I → play → one
"I think that's where tennis players get it pretty hard - because in tennis you can bet on so many things."
asserted
you → think → things
Burrage's compatriot Katie Boulter shared with the BBC last year the abuse and death threats she received on a near-daily basis.
asserted
she → share → basis
This year's WTA and World Tennis report into online abuse, which was based on data from the Signify Group's Threat Matrix service, said "angry gamblers" were responsible for 42% of all verified abuse detected during the 2025 season.
asserted
gamblers → base → season
It is why there is so much disquiet about the sponsorship deals some tournaments have struck with gambling firms.
asserted
tournaments → be → firms
The Davis Cup, for example, has an official sports betting partner, while in August self-described "prediction-market platform" Kalshi signed a multi-year deal with the US Open.
asserted
Kalshi → have → Open
Burrage believes social media platforms "should do more to help".
asserted
platforms → believe → more
"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.
"
asserted
she → think → platform
I think it would limit what people would say.
asserted
people → think → what
People should be accountable for what they say and that's where I think there could be more of a push to change.
uncertain
I → say → push
"It's only getting worse."
asserted
It → get → ?
All WTA and World Tennis players have access to Threat Matrix's services, which monitor all social media posts directed at players.
asserted
which → have → players
The first aim is to provide a rapid assessment of whether an individual's safety is under threat.
asserted
safety → provide → threat
They can then alert the platforms, and potentially law enforcement agencies, to the offending content.
asserted
They → alert → content
Names can also be shared with gaming companies, so they have the option of banning offenders from their platforms.
asserted
they → share → platforms
The service can extend to direct messages and even the moderation of accounts, so players never see the message in the first place.
asserted
players → extend → place
But this is not foolproof - and players may feel they would rather know about any threats made against them.
uncertain
they → feel → them
Burrage has recently been able to improve her singles ranking to 474, from a low of 888 in July.
asserted
Burrage → improve → July
Injury prevented her playing singles for nine months and when she returned for the grass court season, sickness held her back.
asserted
sickness → prevent → her
But she will not allow the abuse to throw her off course.
"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.
asserted
she → allow → 2027
"I'm building a team that is really good around me.
asserted
that → build → me
They know where I've been, what I've gone through.
asserted
I → know → what
"It's not what you want, but if I have to go through it, then I will."
asserted
I → want → it
The Aporia
