Former Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova returned to competitive action at the 2025 Abu Dhabi Open, but instead of celebrating her progress after a seven-month injury layoff, she found herself targeted by a vile wave of social media abuse.
Vondrousova, who underwent shoulder surgery following her 2024 Wimbledon campaign, had only played one match before the Abu Dhabi tournament. Despite impressive wins over Emma Raducanu and Yulia Putintseva, her run ended in the quarterfinals against Belinda Bencic—a match that triggered an onslaught of hateful messages from anonymous online trolls.
“I Hope You Die” – The Dark Side of Tennis Fandom
The online abuse Vondrousova received wasn’t just criticism—it was downright disgusting. The 2023 Wimbledon champion shared screenshots of messages filled with death threats, calls for her to quit tennis, and people questioning how she ever won a Grand Slam.
Some of the most horrific messages included:
- “You should quit tennis, you are a disgrace.”
- “How did someone like you win a Grand Slam?”
- “I hope you die. I will pray for it every day.”
Sadly, this isn’t an isolated case. Caroline Garcia, Naomi Osaka, and numerous other WTA stars have all spoken about the mental toll of social media hate, particularly from gamblers who lose money betting on matches.
A Growing Crisis in Tennis: How Can the Sport Respond?
Social media abuse toward tennis players is reaching crisis levels. Many of these trolls are gamblers who lash out at players instead of accepting their losses.
While Grand Slam events have begun using AI screening to filter hateful messages, the problem persists. The ATP and WTA have yet to implement stronger social media protections for their athletes, leaving players exposed to abuse with little recourse.
While blocking accounts is an option, trolls quickly create new ones, making it a never-ending battle.
What’s Next for Vondrousova?
Despite the hate-filled messages, Vondrousova remains focused on her comeback. She has already overcome a major injury setback and is proving that she can compete at a high level again.
As tennis struggles to find solutions to this growing problem, one thing is clear: No athlete should have to endure abuse for simply competing.
