They say don’t read the comments – but it is easier said than done.
A lot of tennis players share their lives online, giving followers a glimpse into what happens on the tour. It is a way for fans to feel closer to players, and vice versa.
But for some, after a match – win or lose – the messages take on a very different tone.
Earlier in May, American Taylor Townsend shared a screenshot of the death threat and racist abuse she received in an email.
The catalyst? Townsend’s third-round defeat in the Italian Open.
“I think fans would be surprised by some of the things not just you but your family get,” world number six Coco Gauff said.
“I think that’s why I feel like I’ve become more private with my life – I don’t like to subject my friends and family to that.”
This year, French Open organisers have offered players at the tournament artificial intelligence-protection from social media abuse – but what does it do and will players use it?
How is French Open aiming to protect players?
The Bodyguard technology aims to filter out abusive comments on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Youtube, Tiktok and Discord.
Players can scan a QR code to connect their social media accounts to its system, with the company stating it analyses every real-time comment in under 200 milliseconds and blocks abusive remarks.
The company states a team of linguists has created word patterns that can be updated in real time that would help it filter out abusive comments, adding: “the aim is to let nothing slip through the net, while being careful not to be too censorial.”
The French Open is the first of the four Grand Slams to introduce such a scheme, with French Tennis Federation CEO Caroline Flaissier saying player mental health is a “priority for Roland Garros”.
‘Probably they were betting on you’
While social media allows players to be more accessible, it also opens them up to a higher level of scrutiny from fans.
Tennis is a near year-round sport, with the amount of matches making it attractive to gamblers.
“Probably they were betting on you. And then they write me this crazy message,” said former French Open champion and world number 17 Jelena Ostapenko.
“I don’t really care what the people are saying on social media when I lost a match. I can have not a good day, or something was wrong, they don’t even know this.”
World number one and defending champion Iga Swiatek is one of the players who has signed up to…
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