Particle.news

Download on the App Store

Jodie Burrage Demands Betting Firms and Platforms Act After Wimbledon Exit

The British No. 7 detailed how body-shaming abuse from frustrated gamblers forced her to avoid her phone

Image
Jodie Burrage, 26, lost in straight sets to Caty McNally in the first round of Wimbledon on Tuesday
Image

Overview

  • Following her first-round Wimbledon defeat, Burrage said she has stopped checking her phone to shield herself from online harassment
  • She revealed that roughly half of the abusive messages target her body image, including insults conveyed with pig emojis
  • Burrage blamed many threats on disappointed gamblers and called for user IDs to be linked to accounts to deter offenders
  • A June WTA/ITF report using AI flagged 8,000 abusive messages aimed at 458 players and found 40% originated from gamblers
  • Tennis authorities are urging betting companies to suspend punters who send abuse, but no industry-wide policy has yet been adopted