The WTA maintains that it is adopting a preemptive stance toward safeguarding female athletes against mistreatment.
Powered by artificial intelligence detection technology, the Threat Matrix platform is capable of unmasking individuals behind abusive profiles, facilitating formal inquiries and opening the door to possible judicial proceedings.
Figures collected by the monitoring service indicate that women in tennis were targeted with over 12,000 hostile social media posts and direct messages during the preceding year.
“By utilizing Threat Matrix—a framework launched in 2023 in partnership with Signify Group and World Tennis—we track down, probe, and penalize perpetrators,” the WTA further stated.
“Our actions range from submitting malicious posts for deletion to referring severe incidents to legal authorities and backing efforts that avert physical harm.
“Given that a significant portion of player harassment occurs via inbox messages, the WTA has extended supplementary assistance to Jodie.
“This aid features a confidential mechanism for reporting harmful private messages, along with content filtering designed to conceal offensive remarks on public platforms prior to her viewing them.”
A 2024 study conducted by Signify revealed that frustrated sports bettors originated 48% of all posts classified as harassing.
This demographic accounted for 42% of confirmed mistreatment in 2025, as well as 59% of the most extreme cases.
Collaborating with multiple betting operators, the WTA has joined an initiative that detects bettor-generated abuse instantaneously, empowering firms to act immediately against individuals attacking competitors.
Betting firms can subsequently report, limit, or deactivate the offending user’s profile.
Mhairi Maclennan, who heads the female athlete support organization Kyniska Advocacy, contends that “insufficient action is being taken” to safeguard sportspeople overall.
“Regrettably, receiving this form of harassment is a daily reality for high-profile competitors,” she remarked during an appearance on BBC Radio 5 Live’s Drive show.
“Regardless of victory or defeat, numerous sportspeople we converse with mention facing hostility—including threats of death or sexual assault—due to their public standing and the strong connections between sports like tennis and gambling.
“Athletic organizations must cultivate a more constructive dynamic with gambling entities. While sports depend on financial revenue, it is imperative that we evaluate the impact of sports betting on individual competitors and prioritize their overall well-being.”
