Death threats against Jodie Burrage prompt demands for action from WTA and Meta By Luís Henrique Costa
2 min read
 |
British tennis player Jodie Burrage received death threats and a flood of insulting messages on social media after losing at the WTA 250 tournament in Chennai, India. The 27-year-old made the abuse public and asked the WTA and Meta to take action.
The defeat came on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, when Burrage lost 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 to Vaishnavi Adkar. It was her first main-draw singles match on the WTA Tour in 16 months, a break she took to protect her mental health after earlier harassment from gamblers and online stalkers. Currently ranked 474th in the world, she returned to elite competition with that record of absence behind her.
Burrage posted screenshots of messages with misogynistic content on her official social media profile. Alongside them she wrote: “Nice welcome back to the tour. I remember why I left. When will something be done?”
Check out: Meta enables dual WhatsApp accounts on single Android and iOS devices
Harassment of players keeps returning across the tour
Intimidation of professional tennis players has become a recurring problem for the security teams of sports bodies. A study by the consultancy Signify Group identified more than 12,000 abusive posts aimed at women competing in WTA events, a figure that the sources place in different years.
Eva Lys, from Germany, shared Burrage’s post and tagged the WTA on Instagram, asking when something would finally be done. Compatriot Katie Boulter also filed formal complaints with the authorities after threats against her family following matches in Europe.
Burrage’s legal team weighs action in UK courts
The repeated abuse exposes the weakness of the filters offered by the large technology companies. Burrage’s legal team is studying action in UK courts to identify the authors of the messages sent privately to her.
Follow: WhatsApp blocks logins on older Android phones as Meta raises iOS 15.5 requirement
- Player: Jodie Burrage, Britain, 27 years old
- Ranking: 474th in the WTA singles standings
- Tournament: WTA 250 in Chennai, India
- Time away from main draws before the return: 16 months
- Organizations asked to respond: the WTA and Meta, which manages Instagram
The WTA said it keeps partnerships with cybersecurity companies to monitor the accounts of players in official tournaments. In a report from July 2026, it said 66% of serious abusive posts were removed and 35 accounts were referred to law enforcement. Burrage remains in India to fulfill commitments with her delegation, and she is expected to decide next week whether she stays in the doubles draw in Chennai or returns early to Britain.
