Svitolina Condemns Online Abuse After Canadian Open Loss

Following her quarter-final defeat at the Canadian Open on Tuesday, former world number three Elina Svitolina voiced strong concerns regarding the online harassment she has been subjected to, labeling it as ‘SHAMEFUL’.

The Ukrainian player was defeated by Naomi Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam champion, with a score of 6-2, 6-2 on Centre Court in Montreal.

Svitolina revealed that she had received disturbing messages on her social media platforms, some of which alluded to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

In an emotional message shared on her Instagram story, she emphasized her role as a mother before being an athlete and expressed her disgust at the ‘SHAMEFUL’ messages. She suggested that the senders’ mothers would be equally appalled if they saw the messages.

“To all the bettors: I’m a mom before I’m an athlete,” Svitolina stated.

“The manner in which you address women—mothers—is SHAMEFUL. Your own mothers would be ashamed if they were to see your messages.”

The Ukrainian player also included screenshots of the abusive messages as evidence in her Instagram story, highlighting the problematic online environment that many athletes encounter.

The rise in online abuse linked to betting losses is a growing issue in professional tennis.

A recent analysis by tennis governing bodies showed that almost half of all social media abuse directed at players in the past year originated from disgruntled gamblers.

Previously, French player Caroline Garcia criticized social media platforms for not adequately filtering harmful content, stressing the emotional impact it has on players, particularly younger ones.

It’s worth noting that Svitolina’s husband, fellow professional Gael Monfils, has also addressed the issue.

The Women’s Tennis Association has also been contacted regarding this matter.