Angry gamblers are behind 48% of the 12,000 social media posts that have been deemed abusive towards tennis players this year, according to an artific

Gamblers behind half of abusive posts to tennis stars

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2024-12-22 20:00:02

Angry gamblers are behind 48% of the 12,000 social media posts that have been deemed abusive towards tennis players this year, according to an artificial intelligence-led detection system.

The International Tennis Federation (ITF), Women's Tennis Association (WTA), the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) and the United States Tennis Association (USTA) joined forces at the end of last year to launch a programme that monitors posts on X, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.

Former world number one Victoria Azarenka, a long-standing member of the WTA Players' Council, said she was pleased the system is helping "create a healthier online environment".

"It was essential for the WTA and these partner organisations to take meaningful steps toward filtering, blocking, and reporting hateful and harmful comments," said the 35-year-old Belarusian.

Former world number four Caroline Garcia has been among several players who have spoken out about the level of abuse they face.