Burrage urges platforms to make abusers accountable — SkimNews
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- Jodie Burrage received death threats and abusive Instagram messages after her first-round defeat at the Chennai Open, then posted a video showing the messages and wrote: “Nice welcome back to the tour.”
- Vaishnavi Adkar beat Burrage 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 after Burrage was visibly shaking, had her blood pressure and oxygen levels checked and had ice rubbed on her arms and legs; Burrage resumed before losing the final game to love.
- Threat Matrix recorded more than 12,000 abusive posts and messages aimed at female tennis players in 2025; angry gamblers accounted for 42% of verified abuse and 59% of serious abuse.
- Threat Matrix, launched in 2023 by the WTA with Wimbledon, World Tennis and the United States Tennis Association, had removed 66% of serious posts and comments identified by the programme and escalated 35 accounts linked to 12 people to law enforcement, according to a July report.
- Jodie Burrage proposed linking social-media accounts to IDs so abusive users can be held responsible, arguing platforms must do more to protect players when threats compromise safety.
- WTA said Threat Matrix is reporting Burrage’s abuse to the platforms and investigating those responsible; where the abuse is linked to betting, offenders will be added to the Bad Actor programme for betting-operator action.
- WTA said much of the abuse players receive comes through direct messages, and offered Burrage a private reporting channel plus moderation that hides abusive public comments before she sees them; staff in Chennai are supporting her.
Why it matters: Burrage’s renewed push matters most for female players: a July report said Threat Matrix removed 66% of serious posts and comments identified by the programme, while 35 accounts linked to 12 people were escalated to law enforcement. Her proposal to link accounts to IDs and the Bad Actor programme extend enforcement beyond removed content.
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