JPeg shared screenshots of vile comments left by disgruntled bettors — including messages posted underneath a heartfelt tribute to her recently deceased pet dog. Despite turning off her DMs and limiting comment access during tournament weeks, she says that these individuals “always find a way to [her] timeline”.

“These betters [sic] are insane and delusional and I don’t allow dms and try to remember when to shut my comments off during tournament weeks but they always find a way to my timeline. This stuff has never really bothered me much but does any other sport deal with this to our level? I’d love to know because it seems to be predominately tennis?? It’s so disturbing…”

While she says she’s personally been able to brush much of it off — noting “you can’t reason with crazy” — Pegula points out that not all players are able to do the same.

She also addressed the common response telling athletes to simply “stay off social media”:

“Don’t say ‘stay off social media’ – well it’s unavoidable because our entire careers and sponsors are based off of posting on social media. These are comments I get with my dms and comments turned off…”

Why does the WTA, despite all the efforts made by the majors and the tour, continue to face a uniquely toxic mix of gambling-related harassment? Noting what Pegula says about NOT bowing to the bettors and coming off social media, what more should be done — by platforms, governing bodies, or betting companies — to protect players from this sort of abuse?

 

 

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Kristie put this on her stories

 

this might be a good cause for her to get behind particularly since we can infer she has a bit more wealth than others to withstand any blowback

 

These people are truly disgusting. Instagram seems to be absolutely fine with hateful comments. I've reported stuff in the past and sometimes got the feedback that they see nothing wrong with what was said (probably a bot checking and not an actual human ).
The only way I see anything changing is if the platforms that allow these comments become liable for not doing enough to protect people from abuse.

 

It's a problem with social media platforms pretty much allowing this and taking zero accountability for it.
If we want these platforms to be "anonymous" and not require ID for users it's going to keep happening sadly

 

Kahn1 is very naive sending that message. That woman could be in danger if she confronted that man.

 

Nah, they're usually pussies afraid of their own shadow. I mean, who makes betting their main source of income, you have to be a total loser living in mommy's basement.

 

How can any pro sportsperson not block everything on social media at this point is just weird to me. Have a secret IG for friends and just don't read anything on the main PR one. It's sad to get there but as long as nothing is done, you have to protect yourself from this.

 

Agree. In lots of professions with public figures they manage to avoid/not read SM abuse it seems.

 

They are indeed insane, on several levels. The ones that write such comments that is, not everyone who bets on sports/tennis obviously.

 

Just leave Instagram, I did, I don't miss it.

 

How bad did it get for you sweetie?

 

posters here with zero life experience of exposing gamblers.

 

How come the WTA players are the only ones who posts these, and never ATP players. There is something about WTA players leaning in to "victimhood" that is off-putting. Jess, you get mean comments on Instagram, and you're also a billionaire who reads those comments from your private jet. And to say that tennis players get it 100 times worse is insane. Others get IN PERSON HATE, at the games; bananas thrown on the field at them, slurs, etc, AND comments on social media. Bottomline, she froze against Boisson and is trying to shift the narrative.

 

Yeah I was going to say the same. To see PRO athletes complaining about what some random guy or gal posted about them on the internet seems incredibly weak and attention seeking to me. While I don't condone people posting this type of stuff I also don't respect PRO athletes complaining about it either. You've got to have way thicker skin than that.

It's why everybody make fun of Kevin Durant and rightfully so. Dude you got several hundred million dollars and you're feelings are that hurt about what random person on the internet has to say about you. WEAK.

I respect what Frances Tiafoe had to say about this. Basically that these people are crazy, it doesn't bother him and he doesn't pay any attention to it.

 

How come the WTA players are the only ones who posts these, and never ATP players. There is something about WTA players leaning in to "victimhood" that is off-putting. Jess, you get mean comments on Instagram, and you're also a billionaire who reads those comments from your private jet. And to say that tennis players get it 100 times worse is insane. Others get IN PERSON HATE, at the games; bananas thrown on the field at them, slurs, etc, AND comments on social media. Bottomline, she froze against Boisson and is trying to shift the narrative.

Yeah I was going to say the same. To see PRO athletes complaining about what some random guy or gal posted about them on the internet seems incredibly weak and attention seeking to me. While I don't condone people posting this type of stuff I also don't respect PRO athletes complaining about it either. You've got to have way thicker skin than that.

It's why everybody make fun of Kevin Durant and rightfully so. Dude you got several hundred million dollars and you're feelings are that hurt about what random person on the internet has to say about you. WEAK.

I respect what Frances Tiafoe had to say about this. Basically that these people are crazy, it doesn't bother him and he doesn't pay any attention to it.

I 100% hope you get this kind of energy directed towards you each and every day, since you are so willing to validate this towards another person. How fucking sick.

 

Just to reiterate, like actually fucking sick. I hope you seek professional psychiatric help before you cause harm to those around you.

 

This is the problem with social media. This is why I don't check my DMs unless it's from someone I know.

 

These people are mentally instable. Betting is a mental illness and you cannot convince me otherwise. My parents got divorced because of my dad's addiction with betting and gambling. The trauma that I got as a kid...It's a serios matter and these industries should be completely banned.

 

Hey Jess...
Cry Me a River...

 

This is why all social media accounts should be tied to a passport and someone's home address. They'd soon be going quiet

 

I was being ironic, borderline sarcastic, definitely eyerolling.

Pegula is a public figure for whom not having an official account is indirectly a loss of revenue, you are a nobody in that regard and cannot say that "look at me, I left the platform, hey Jessie do as I do".

 

I was being ironic, borderline sarcastic, definitely eyerolling.

Pegula is a public figure for whom not having an official account is indirectly a loss of revenue, you are a nobody in that regard and cannot say that "look at me, I left the platform, hey Jessie do as I do".

And Pegula is a multi millionaire, she can afford the "hit"

 

Other people's money, we just LOVE counting that!

 

When i was watching Gauff Vs Keys last night the commentators were talking about the odds.... does the sport even stand in solidarity with their athletes?

Anyway, some of these men Are so pathetic. They're going to raise weak boys and the cycle will live on.

 

How come the WTA players are the only ones who posts these, and never ATP players. There is something about WTA players leaning in to "victimhood" that is off-putting. Jess, you get mean comments on Instagram, and you're also a billionaire who reads those comments from your private jet. And to say that tennis players get it 100 times worse is insane. Others get IN PERSON HATE, at the games; bananas thrown on the field at them, slurs, etc, AND comments on social media. Bottomline, she froze against Boisson and is trying to shift the narrative.

Yeah I was going to say the same. To see PRO athletes complaining about what some random guy or gal posted about them on the internet seems incredibly weak and attention seeking to me. While I don't condone people posting this type of stuff I also don't respect PRO athletes complaining about it either. You've got to have way thicker skin than that.

It's why everybody make fun of Kevin Durant and rightfully so. Dude you got several hundred million dollars and you're feelings are that hurt about what random person on the internet has to say about you. WEAK.

I respect what Frances Tiafoe had to say about this. Basically that these people are crazy, it doesn't bother him and he doesn't pay any attention to it.

A bunch of male players have also recounted having experienced this stuff. Shit is getting out of hand and it's good that people are shedding some light on this behaviour. Maybe something can then be done. At minimum it's good to expose the scale of the phenomenon. Not only are some of the messages deranged and scary, they are also not limited to the players but also their partners, children and parents are at times being targeted.

Danish French Open player has become used to receiving hate messages and death threats | Flashscore.com

Danish player Elmer Moller who crashed out in the first round of the French Open to Tommy Paul says, he has gotten used to receiving death threats and other very negative comments on social media after defeats.

www.flashscore.com

Tennis pro threatened by gambler in chilling message: ‘I will come after you’

A French tennis player received a frightening death threat before a match at the Thionville Challenger on Tuesday.

nypost.com

‘I will find you, I’m going to kill you’: Kiwi tennis players reveal shocking online abuse

Messages often come from international bettors upset over losing bets.

www.nzherald.co.nz

Sports betting is causing athletes to be abused and harassed online | The Week

 

All of this idiocy, threats, etc. was 100% predictable as soon as 'social media' was invented, of course.
And it was also 100% predictable that it would get worse with the acceptance and legalization of sports betting in many countries.

But nothing was done to prevent it because there is money to be made by everyone involved - the athletes, the gamblers, the governments, etc....

 

Jezz this again. Do not read opinions on social media about yourself. If you do, you earned the headache.

 

Maybe Pegula would receive less abuse if she could beat Boisson 6-1 6-2? Instead of ranting, she should reflect on her pridelessness

 

Blaming the victim. “If she didn’t wear that short skirt then she wouldn’t have been assaulted.”

 

This stuff is absolutely inherent in 'internet culture' - this type of abuse and 'internet life' naturally go hand-in-hand just like the combination of peanut butter and jam...
Because of its highly impersonal nature, the internet brings out the worst in many people. It's not people dealing with people, it's my machine dealing with your machine. And so they allow themselves to be abusive - because they are dealing with machines, not human beings. It's all highly impersonal... and it has done great harm to society as a whole, and the relationships within it.

In terms of abuse toward athletes... it's much more far reaching than just tennis. And it's not just very 'famous' or very well known athletes from other sports - it reaches right down to the 'minor leagues'...
'Exhibit A' right here below...

FIA issue statement condemning serious problem for F1 support series

.