Online abuse aimed at Wimbledon players has nearly quadrupled compared to the same stage of the 2024 tournament, according to data shared with the BBC.
Idman.biz, citing BBC, reports that the AI-powered Threat Matrix system flagged 1,902 abusive posts directed at players by the quarter-final stage, up from 511 last year.
Carlos Alcaraz and Amanda Anisimova, both finalists, spoke out about the “cruel” and “scary” messages they received. In total, 2,916 comments were confirmed as abusive or discriminatory, with 132 deemed moderate to high-level threats. “Angry gamblers” were behind 37% of the abuse.
Threat Matrix now covers all players, umpires, and official Wimbledon accounts. The All England Club emphasized player safety, stating abusers will face consequences.
Idman.biz
