Tennis Star Exposes Dark Side of Online Abuse
In a shocking revelation, tennis sensation Alex de Minaur has brought to light the disturbing online abuse faced by his girlfriend, Katie Boulter. The couple has been subjected to a barrage of hateful messages, including death threats, sparking outrage in the sports community.
Speaking out about the harrowing experience, Boulter disclosed, “At the very start of my career, it’s probably something I took very personally… getting comments about the way you look. It becomes more apparent every single time you go on your phone. I think it increases in number and it also increases in the level of things that people say. I don’t think there’s anything off the cards now. I think it just kind of shows how vulnerable we are.”
De Minaur, who recently faced a shocking defeat in the Queen’s Club Championship, expressed his dismay at the situation, emphasizing the need for action against the perpetrators. “It’s great for her to step up and shine a light into this, which is something that happens to every single tennis player out there. Every single athlete, I would say,” De Minaur stated. “Hopefully there is something that can be done about it. It’s something that’s been going on for a while now. It’s something that a lot of people have spoken out against, but it doesn’t change.”
The tennis star further highlighted the impact of online abuse on athletes, particularly after a loss, stating, “When you lose, you’re feeling not in the best state emotionally, but then you’ve also got to deal with everything that happens behind the scenes with angry gamblers.”
The alarming revelation sheds light on the dark side of social media and the urgent need for measures to combat online abuse. With the tennis world reeling from this shocking expose, authorities are urged to take swift action to protect athletes from such vile attacks.