Ukrainian tennis player Elina Svitolina took to social media to decry the ugly online attacks aimed at her. This negative response followed her loss against Naomi Osaka in the quarterfinals of the National Bank Open. The final took place at IGA Stadium in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Svitolina had a lot of heat from the gamblers who lost money from her not putting out all out.
After the match, Svitolina went on Instagram to post these abusive messages she received, showing other players shouldn’t have to tolerate this abuse. These ranged from direct death threats against her and racial slurs aimed not only at her husband, Gaël Monfils (who is Black) but at her as well. That abuse was so extreme. One message explicitly hoped for Russia to “slaughter all you (expletive) Ukrainians,” delivering a jarring shove back to the reality of war back home.
What’s also notable is that Svitolina, a mother herself, in her reaction to this abuse, made it clear that she is more than an athlete. “To all the bettors: I’m a mom before I’m an athlete,” she stated. Her claim brings attention to the need to understand that athletes are people who have lives beyond their sports careers.
The online vitriol directed at Svitolina is not an isolated case. Fellow British lawn tennis pro Katie Boulter endured like or worse harassment when the French Open this year. Tennis institutions such as the WTA and ITF have been understandably wary of this growing phenomenon of online abuse. In particular, they’re calling on betting companies to do more to protect young people from this abusive grooming behavior.
In a further statement addressing the nature of the abuse, Svitolina remarked, “The way you talk to women — to mothers — is SHAMEFUL. If your moms saw your messages, they’d be disgusted.” This powerful message underscores the need for a cultural shift in how online interactions are conducted, particularly towards female athletes.
The effects of gambling on sports are an important topic. It has perpetuated a toxic culture of abuse in the world of tennis. Players such as Svitolina have become more outspoken on their growing experiences, calling for newfound responsibility and accountability from betting companies.
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