Jodie Burrage has been offered extra support by the Women’s Tennis Association after the British player received death threats and a barrage of abusive messages following her first-round loss at a tournament in India.
Burrage posted screenshots of the abusive direct messages she said had been sent to her Instagram account after a gruelling 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 defeat by India’s Vaishnavi Adkar at the Chennai Open on Tuesday. The 27-year-old, playing her first WTA Tour match since last summer, captioned the post: “Nice welcome back to the tour. I remember why I left.”
Support from the WTA
The WTA said it had offered additional support to Burrage, adding that staff in Chennai were on hand to assist her. The organisation did not provide further details of the assistance but confirmed it was in communication with the player following the online abuse.
The incident underscores the wider issue of online harassment faced by professional athletes. Burrage’s decision to make the messages public drew attention to the volume and severity of abuse that can follow on-court defeats, particularly when players return to competition after a period away.
Burrage’s post prompted responses from followers and fellow players on social media, though organisers and other officials have not issued extended statements beyond the WTA’s offer of support. The situation remains a reminder of the pressure and scrutiny athletes can face both on and off the court.