America’s Shelby Rogers says she will likely receive a torrent of abuse on social media following her fourth round loss to Emma Raducanu at the US Open on Monday.
The world No.43 is the latest player to speak out about the issue which she has experienced multiple times before. Speaking to reporters after her match, Rogers joked that she will get ‘nine million death threats’ and wishes that social media didn’t exist.
“Obviously we appreciate the spotlight in those moments,” Rogers said in her post-match news conference.
“But then you have today and I’m going to have nine million death threats and whatnot. It’s very much polarising, one extreme to the other very quickly.
“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.”
Rogers is not the first player to speak out about the issue with Sloane Stephens saying she received 2000 hate messages following her third round loss to Angelique Kerber at the US Open. In an Instagram story, the former Grand Slam winner posted screenshots of the abuse she has been receiving with many of them being racist.
Whilst there is a serious issue with online abuse, Rogers admits that social media is part of the job role due to its ability to connect the sport with fans around the world.
“It’s part of marketing now, we have contracts, we have to post certain things. It is what it is. You try not to take it to heart, and it’s the unfortunate side of any sport,” she said.
“You know, just focus on the important things, not comments from people in their mum’s basement.
“It’s really unfortunate and some of it does get to your head sometimes.”
The topic of tackling online abuse has been a growing issue for tennis in recent years, as well as other sports such as football. Reuters News Agency has been told by the WTA that the number of players receiving abuse online is on the rise and they are currently working with social media companies to address the issue. The WTA is also working with Theseus who is a risk assessment and management company that specialises in 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,” the governing body of women’s tennis said in a statement.
In August 2020 a BBC Sport survey found 30% of elite British sportswomen have suffered from online trolling. The findings were based on a sample of 537 athletes from 39 different sports, including tennis.
