Elina Svitolina speaks out against online abuse from bettors after Canadian Open loss
TOI World Desk | TIMESOFINDIA.COM | Aug 06, 2025, 19:56 IST
( Image credit : AP )
Highlight of the story: Elina Svitolina faced hateful online abuse after her defeat at the Canadian Open. Disgruntled bettors sent graphic messages, including death wishes and racial slurs. Svitolina highlighted the shameful behavior towards women and mothers. The WTA and ITF are addressing online abuse, revealing many players are targeted by gamblers. Svitolina remains focused on her family and tennis career despite the hate.
Ukrainian tennis player Elina Svitolina has publicly condemned a wave of hateful online abuse she received following her quarterfinal loss to Naomi Osaka at the National Bank Open on Tuesday, attributing much of the vitriol to disgruntled sports bettors.
In a series of posts on Instagram, Svitolina shared screenshots of graphic messages, some of which wished death upon her and praised Russian violence against Ukrainians amid the ongoing war in her home country. The abuse also extended to her husband, French tennis player Gaël Monfils, with several users directing racial slurs at him.
“To all the bettors: I’m a mum before I’m an athlete,” Svitolina wrote in an Instagram story. “The way you talk to women — to mothers — is SHAMEFUL. If your mothers saw your messages, they’d be disgusted.”
Svitolina, 29, is a former world No. 3 and returned to professional tennis last year after giving birth to her daughter. Her defeat to Osaka marked the end of her run at the Canadian tournament, but the aftermath quickly shifted focus from sport to online harassment.
The incident highlights a growing concern within professional tennis about the impact of online abuse, particularly from individuals who bet on matches. In June, British player Katie Boulter revealed she had received death threats targeting her and her family after competing at the French Open. In an interview with the BBC, Boulter said the abuse has become “normalized,” largely due to gamblers reacting violently to losses.
Coinciding with Boulter's remarks, the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) and International Tennis Federation (ITF) released their first season-wide report on online abuse. The findings revealed that 458 players had been subjected to more than 8,000 abusive messages in 2024 alone. Approximately 40 percent of that abuse was traced back to individuals identified as gamblers.
The WTA and ITF have since called on sports betting platforms and social media companies to take greater responsibility for curbing abuse directed at players. "This level of vitriol is not only unacceptable but dangerous," a joint statement from the organizations read in June. "We continue to advocate for stronger safeguards to protect athletes, particularly women, from targeted harassment."
Svitolina’s case has reignited calls for more effective moderation and reporting tools on digital platforms, as well as stricter regulations on interactions between bettors and athletes.
Despite the abuse, Svitolina has vowed to remain focused on her game and family. “Tennis is my profession, but being a mother is my life,” she said. “No match result will ever justify this kind of hate.”
In a series of posts on Instagram, Svitolina shared screenshots of graphic messages, some of which wished death upon her and praised Russian violence against Ukrainians amid the ongoing war in her home country. The abuse also extended to her husband, French tennis player Gaël Monfils, with several users directing racial slurs at him.
“To all the bettors: I’m a mum before I’m an athlete,” Svitolina wrote in an Instagram story. “The way you talk to women — to mothers — is SHAMEFUL. If your mothers saw your messages, they’d be disgusted.”
Svitolina, 29, is a former world No. 3 and returned to professional tennis last year after giving birth to her daughter. Her defeat to Osaka marked the end of her run at the Canadian tournament, but the aftermath quickly shifted focus from sport to online harassment.
The incident highlights a growing concern within professional tennis about the impact of online abuse, particularly from individuals who bet on matches. In June, British player Katie Boulter revealed she had received death threats targeting her and her family after competing at the French Open. In an interview with the BBC, Boulter said the abuse has become “normalized,” largely due to gamblers reacting violently to losses.
Coinciding with Boulter's remarks, the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) and International Tennis Federation (ITF) released their first season-wide report on online abuse. The findings revealed that 458 players had been subjected to more than 8,000 abusive messages in 2024 alone. Approximately 40 percent of that abuse was traced back to individuals identified as gamblers.
The WTA and ITF have since called on sports betting platforms and social media companies to take greater responsibility for curbing abuse directed at players. "This level of vitriol is not only unacceptable but dangerous," a joint statement from the organizations read in June. "We continue to advocate for stronger safeguards to protect athletes, particularly women, from targeted harassment."
Svitolina’s case has reignited calls for more effective moderation and reporting tools on digital platforms, as well as stricter regulations on interactions between bettors and athletes.
Despite the abuse, Svitolina has vowed to remain focused on her game and family. “Tennis is my profession, but being a mother is my life,” she said. “No match result will ever justify this kind of hate.”