France's Caroline Garcia faced off against Mexico's Renata Zarazua in the first round of the U.S. Open tennis tournament on Tuesday, August 27, 2024, in New York. Garcia returned a shot during the match, which was photographed by Pamela Smith for the Associated Press.
Caroline Garcia, a former U.S. Open semifinalist, has recently spoken out about the persistent issue of cyberbullying in tennis. After losing in the first round of the U.S. Open, Garcia took to social media to highlight the abusive messages players often receive, especially from those who gamble on matches.
In her post, Garcia, ranked 28th at the tournament and a former World No. 4, expressed how hurtful these messages can be. She shared how some of the messages she received after recent losses included hateful comments, with one person even suggesting she consider suicide and another wishing harm upon her family.
Garcia pointed out that while she is now 30 and has developed ways to protect herself from the onslaught of online hate, she remains deeply concerned for younger players. Many up-and-coming athletes may not yet have the tools to cope with this kind of negativity, which can be emotionally devastating, especially after a tough loss.
The cyberbullying problem in tennis isn’t new. It often stems from disgruntled gamblers who lose money betting on matches and then take out their frustrations on the players. Despite numerous players speaking out about this issue over the years, Garcia feels that not much has changed. She criticizes the continued partnership between tennis tournaments and betting companies, which, in her view, only exacerbates the problem.
"Tournaments and the sport keep partnering with betting companies, which keep attracting new people to unhealthy betting," Garcia wrote. She drew a parallel to the days when sports were sponsored by cigarette brands, a practice that has long been banned. Yet, promoting betting companies continues, which, according to Garcia, harms many people.
Garcia's concerns are echoed by other players. Frances Tiafoe, a semifinalist in last year’s U.S. Open, acknowledged the outrageous comments athletes receive online. Bianca Andreescu, the 2019 U.S. Open champion, has also spoken about the negative comments and harassment on social media. She shared how she tries to avoid looking at the comments, asking her PR team to monitor them instead and only inform her of positive feedback. Andreescu learned the hard way that negative comments are inevitable, but they can still hurt.
While some efforts have been made to address this issue, progress has been slow. The French Open began collaborating with a company in 2022 that uses artificial intelligence to filter players’ social media accounts, attempting to prevent abusive messages from reaching them. Additionally, the U.S. Open, Wimbledon, and other major tennis organizations announced a service to monitor platforms like X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and TikTok for abusive content. However, Garcia feels that these measures have not been enough.
In her heartfelt post, Garcia urged people to think twice before posting hurtful comments online. She reminded everyone that athletes, singers, and other public figures are also human beings, doing their best in life. She ended her message with a call for kindness: "Be kind. Give love. Enjoy life."
