Garcia decries online abuse after US Open defeat, cites ‘unhealthy betting’

France’s Caroline Garcia serves in her US Open first-round loss to Renata Zarazua – Copyright AFP/File Jim WATSON, Odd ANDERSEN

Former WTA world number four Caroline Garcia of France shared some of the disparaging messages she has received in the wake of recent defeats on Wednesday and cited “unhealthy betting” as a driver of social media abuse of players.

Garcia, an 11-time WTA champion who reached the US Open semi-finals in 2022, fell to 92nd-ranked Renata Zarazua in the first round at Flushing Meadows on Tuesday.

On Wednesday morning in a lengthy post on X (formerly Twitter) she shared “just a few” of the messages she has received after defeats, including one telling her to shoot herself and another saying “I hope your mom dies soon”.

At the age of 30, she said, she’s done enough work to get past the hurtful messages.

“I have tools and have done work to protect myself from this hate. But still, this is not OK,” Garcia wrote. 

“It really worries me when I think about younger players coming up, that have to go through this. People that still haven’t yet developed fully as a human and that really might be affected by this hate.”

Garcia called out the practice of the sport and tournaments partnering with betting companies, wondering if it contributed to a rise in such abuse.

“Tournaments and the sport keeps partnering with betting companies, which keep attracting new people to unhealthy betting,” Garcia said. 

“The days of cigarette brands sponsoring sports are long gone. Yet, here we are promoting betting companies, which actively destroy the life of some people.”

She continued, “Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying they should be banned as people are free to do whatever they want with their money. But maybe we should not promote them. Also, if someone decided to say this things to me in public, he could have legal issues. So why online we are free to do anything? Shouldn’t we reconsider anonymity online?”

Officials in a range of sports, including tennis, have tried to shield players from abusive messages.

The French Open partnered in 2022 with a company that uses artificial intelligence to filter players’ social media accounts. Wimbledon launched a social media monitoring service to protect players from online abuse and threats.

“Many before me have raised the subject,” Garcia said. “And still, no progress has been made.”

American Jessica Pegula, ranked sixth in the world, was among players posting in support of Garcia.

“The constant death threats and family threats are normal now,” Pegula wrote. “Win or lose.”

American Frances Tiafoe said after his second round victory on Wednesday that social media attacks are par for the course.

“People are saying outlandish stuff,” he said. “You’ve got guys working all their life trying to compete at the highest level. You don’t know people’s circumstances, what they’re going through, how this affects people.”