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Tennis star Caroline Garcia has revealed she received numerous threats and and other hate messages after losing in the first round of this year’s U.S. Open.
Garcia, who reached a career-high ranking of No. 4 in the world in 2018, lost her opening round match to 92nd ranked Renata Zarazua in straight sets on Tuesday.
On Wednesday, following the loss, the 30-year-old tennis player from France revealed on social media that she has received numerous hateful messages, including threats against her and her family.
“You should consider [gun emoji] yourself,” read one comment she shared.
“I hope your mom dies soon,” another person wrote.
“You are a piece of s—,” another comment read.
“This are some of the messages I received lately after loosing [sic] some matches,” Caroline Garcia wrote on X (Twitter). “Just a few of them. There’s hundreds. And now, being 30 years old, although they still hurt, because at the end of the day, I’m just a normal girl working really hard and trying my best, I have tools and have done work to protect myself from this hate. But still, this is not ok.
“It really worries me when I think about younger players coming up, that have to go through this,” Garcia continued. “People that still haven’t yet developed fully as a human and that really might be affected by this hate. Maybe you can think that it doesn’t hurt us. But it does. We are humans. And sometimes, when we receive this messages we are already emotionally destroyed after a tough loss. And they can be damaging. Many before me have raised the subject. And still, no progress has been made.
“Social media platforms don’t prevent it, despite AI being in a very advanced position. Tournaments and the sport keeps partnering with betting companies, which keep attracting new people to unhealthy betting. The days of cigarette brands sponsoring sports are long gone. Yet, here we are promoting betting companies, which actively destroy the life of some people. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying they should be banned as people are free to do whatever they want with their money. But maybe we should not promote them.
“Also, if someone decided to say this things to me in public, he could have legal issues. So why online we are free to do anything? Shouldn’t we reconsider anonymity online?” she asked.
“I know those who write these terrible messages won’t change because of this. But maybe you, next time you see a post from an athlete, singer or any other person, that has failed or lost, you will remember that she or he is also a human being, trying his best in life.”
Currently ranked No. 28 in the world, Garcia has had an up-and-down year. She played well with Team France in the United Cup. She defeated Naomi Osaka in straight sets in the first round of the Australian Open, but lost her next match in straight sets. She also lost in the second rounds of the French Open and Wimbledon, and in the first round at the Abu Dhabi Open.
None of that, however, comes anywhere close to justifying her being subject to so many hateful comments from so many people.
Unfortunately, American tennis star Jessie Pegula, agreed with Carolina Garcia, retweeting her post and writing, “Yep. The constant death threats and family threats are normal now. Win or lose.”