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While death threats over a tennis match may seem shocking,
several players at this year's U.S. Open have said such things
are now part of sport with much of the abuse coming from
gamblers hooked on online betting.
"I'm going to have 9 million death threats and whatnot," said
Rogers with a shrug. "At this point in my career, I'd say I'm
used to it.
"I kind of wish social media didn't exist.
"You could probably go through my profile right now, I'm
probably a fat pig and words that I can't say right now."
American Sloane Stephens said she received a torrent of angry
messages on social media, including racist and sexist abuse,
following her third round loss to Angelique Kerber.
Stephens, who is Black, said she got over 2,000 messages of
abuse after Friday's 5-7 6-2 6-3 defeat, including threats of
physical harm.
"It's so hard to read messages like these, but I'll post a few
so you guys can see what it's like after a loss," she wrote in
an Instagram story.
What followed was a series of racist and sexist messages aimed
at the 28-year-old.
"This type of hate is so exhausting and never ending," she said.
The WTA Tour said in an email to Reuters that the number of
players targeted for online abuse is on the rise and it is
working with social media companies to find ways of curtailing
the harassment.
The Tour is also working with Theseus, a risk assessment and
management company, which specialises evaluation, protection and
support for athletes if they encounter online harassment.
"Theseus and the WTA work with the social media platforms to
shut down accounts when warranted, and if applicable, local
authorities are notified," said the WTA.
"Working with Theseus allows the WTA and the players to take the
most appropriate action, while enabling WTA players to safely
keep their social media accounts and use them to communicate and
share exciting highlights, stories and news to their fans."
Rogers acknowledged that social media interaction is encouraged
as way to market the sport and connect with fans.
"It's part of marketing now, we have contracts, we have to post
certain things," said Rogers. "It is what it is.
"You try not to take it to heart, and it's the unfortunate side
of any sport.
"You know, just focus on the important things, not comments from
people in their mom's basement.
"It's really unfortunate and some of it does get to your head
sometimes."
(Reporting by Steve Keating in New York. Editing by Pritha
Sarkar)
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