British tennis star Katie Boulter, ranked WTA No. 39, revealed the extent of horrific social media abuse she and her fiancé, ATP No. 12 Alex de Minaur, have endured, including messages telling her to “go to hell” and wishing she “get cancer.” In a BBC Sport interview, Boulter shared examples such as a message urging her to buy “candles and a coffin for your entire family” with threats to “damage her grandmother’s grave if she’s not dead by tomorrow,” often from disgruntled gamblers upset over betting losses, per Sydney Morning Herald. She also disclosed abuse aimed at de Minaur, including one message stating, “Shame on you Alex!!! Tell him he has no respect for his public!!! … 5-3 and loose? Shame on you looser,” per Sydney Morning Herald.
De Minaur’s Supportive Response
Following his 6-4, 6-2 first-round defeat to Jiri Lehecka at Queen’s Club on June 17, de Minaur expressed heartbreak over Boulter’s ordeal, praising her for highlighting the issue. “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,” he told reporters, adding, “It’s been going on for a while now… but it doesn’t change,” per Canberra Times. He noted expecting similar abuse post-loss, saying, “I’m sure I’ll have a lot of people not too happy with my result today,” per Sydney Morning Herald. X posts, like @TennisUpToDate2, echoed de Minaur’s frustration, slamming “angry gamblers” for fueling the toxicity, per.
Impact and Ongoing Challenges
Boulter, anticipating worse abuse during Wimbledon 2025 (June 30–July 13), emphasized the psychological toll, saying, “You really don’t know if this person is on site,” per BBC Sport. She receives explicit images, though Instagram filters some, and has tried responding kindly to abusers to encourage reflection, per Daily Star. The couple, engaged since December 2024 after meeting in 2020, supports each other through the ordeal, with Boulter calling de Minaur her “best support,” per Australian Women’s Weekly. Their openness aligns with broader tennis discussions on online harassment, as seen with Emma Raducanu’s recent stalking incidents, per The Mirror.
Broader Context
The abuse reflects a growing issue in tennis, with players like Boulter and de Minaur facing heightened scrutiny from betting-related toxicity. Despite their resilience, the lack of effective solutions persists, as de Minaur noted, per Express. Their potential US Open mixed doubles entry, discussed on June 17, underscores their determination to focus on their careers, per The Tennis Gazette. Public sentiment, per @RandSNewsfeed, supports Boulter’s courage in addressing this pervasive problem, per.
