Jodie Burrage receives WTA support after social media abuse following Chennai Open defeat

Support in Chennai

The WTA said staff in Chennai were assisting Burrage alongside its wider player welfare and Threat Matrix team. The article does not specify when the threats were sent or who sent them.

WTA describes its response

The WTA says it is taking a proactive approach to protecting female players from abuse. It says its measures include reporting abusive material for removal and referring serious cases to law enforcement.

The organization also described a private channel for reporting abusive direct messages and moderation designed to hide abusive comments on public channels before a player sees them. It said these steps are intended to help prevent real-world harm.

Abuse figures and wider concerns

According to data from the service, female players received more than 12,000 abusive social media posts and messages last year. The article also reports that the service was responsible for 42% of verified abuse in 2025 and 59% of serious-abuse cases, but does not identify what “they” refers to in those figures.

A speaker identified only as “she” told BBC Radio 5 Live’s Drive programme that abuse was all too common for athletes with public profiles. She also said sports should consider how betting affects individual athletes and their welfare.