Coco Gauff Urges Help from the Tennis Authorities to Protect Players from Social Media Abuse

World No. 2 Coco Gauff and many other tennis players have voiced their concerns regarding online abuse faced by tennis players.

Coco Gauff Urges Help from the Tennis Authorities to Protect Players from Social Media Abuse

Coco Gauff (via X)

World No. 2 Coco Gauff recently opened up about the harrowing situation of online abuse faced by tennis players. Her remarks came following the release of a damning joint report released by the WTA and ITF, highlighting the scale of online abuse within tennis.

The report shows that 40% of online abuse received by tennis players was connected to online gambling, with 97% of abusive messages sent by just 23% of accounts connected to abusive comments. The report also revealed that five WTA Tour players receive a shocking 26% of the abuse directed at all tennis players on the tour. The 21-year-old said prior to her first match in Berlin:

It’s something we have to continue to raise awareness about. I would love for some of the social media platforms to get involved, not just when it comes to tennis. Influencers, other athletes, everyone receives these comments, so it’s something that can be addressed. I know the WTA is doing what they can to make us feel protected, but I definitely think many of these platforms can also intervene. I think TikTok does a better job filtering comments, so you really don’t see them. But Instagram is, for me, the worst with comment filtering.

Several tennis players have been vocal on the issue of online abuse. While speaking to BBC, Katie Boulter opened up about the threatening and insulting messages that she has received, particularly after her second-round loss at the Roland Garros. In recent weeks, the likes of Gael Monfils and Jessica Pegula have also spoken out about betting and online abuse.

Monfils used sarcasm to get back at the trolls with a lengthy rant on his Instagram story after he received hateful messages following his opening round defeat in Stuttgart to Alex Michelsen. World No. 4 Pegula also opened up about the hateful messages she received after losing to qualifier Lois Boisson in the fourth round of the Roland Garros. Carlos Alcaraz also raised his concerns when asked about the issue at the Queen’s Club.

Coco Gauff faced an opening round exit in Berlin

After clinching her career’s second Grand Slam title at the 2025 Roland Garros, where she defeated World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff had an underwhelming start to her grass season. Gauff lost to qualifier Wang Xinyu in straight sets in the opening round of the Berlin Tennis Open. After her defeat she penned a message on Instagram:

It was a tough one today but I’m happy to be back on court. I tried my best to adjust with the quick turnaround but it wasn’t enough. As always, I’m learning as I go so I hope to do better next time. Thank you Berlin for the short but sweet visit, I’ll come back stronger next year.

Coco Gauff, Aryna Sabalenka (3)
Coco Gauff, Aryna Sabalenka (Image via X/Complex, Univers Tennis)

Grass is not Gauff’s forte like hard court or clay, and the American is yet to reach a final on this surface. She is also yet to progress beyond the fourth round in Wimbledon. After the defeat in Berlin, Gauff will next compete at Wimbledon.

Xinyu, on the other hand, defeated several other higher-ranked players on her way to reach her maiden WTA singles final. The 23-year-old will face former Wimbledon champion and Roland Garros finalist Marketa Vondrousova in the Berlin Tennis Open finals.

Vondrousova has also had an impressive run in Berlin, defeating Australian Open champion Madison Keys in her opening round and overcoming Sabalenka in straight sets in the semifinals. This marks Vondrousova’s first final of the season.

Also Read: Ex-WTA Pro Explains Why French Open Champion Coco Gauff is Not Favorite to Win Wimbledon