'When Will Something Be Done?': Jodie Burrage Calls Out WTA Over Online Threats and Verbal Abuse

British tennis player Jodie Burrage faced death threats and abusive messages following her first-round defeat at the Chennai Open in India on Tuesday, 3 November 2026. Her return to WTA Tour singles competition after 16 months ended with another reminder of the online hostility confronting professional players.

Following her defeat against India's Vaishnavi Adkar, Burrage shared screenshots of the online harassment she received. Fellow tennis player Eva Lys also tagged the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) in a social media post, asking when action would be taken against online abuse.

Jodie Burrage's Instagram Story

The 27-year-old had not contested a WTA Tour singles main-draw match since Wimbledon in July 2025. Her comeback ended in a 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 defeat against Adkar, who recovered from a 5-3 deficit in the deciding set.

Burrage subsequently shared an Instagram Story displaying abusive direct messages, including death threats and demands for money.

'Nice welcome back to tour. I remember why I left,' she wrote. 'When will something be done?'

The post highlighted a persistent problem in professional tennis, where players increasingly report threats from individuals apparently angered by losing bets.

Jodie Burrage's Return Marred by Online Threats

Burrage appeared close to victory in Chennai after taking a 5-3 lead in the deciding set. However, Adkar won four consecutive games to secure her first WTA Tour main-draw victory.

The British player, ranked 474th entering the tournament, had also required medical attention towards the end of the match.

The abuse that followed was particularly troubling given her previous experiences.

Following her Wimbledon defeat in July 2025, Burrage urged gambling companies and social media platforms to take stronger measures against abusive accounts. She suggested linking accounts to verified identities to discourage threatening behaviour and improve accountability.

According to the WTA and World Tennis's 2025 report on online abuse, angry gamblers accounted for 42% of verified online abuse and 59% of serious abuse detected during the 2025 season. The organisations have introduced monitoring, content moderation and threat-assessment measures, although Burrage's experience demonstrates the continuing difficulties players face.

How Long Was Jodie Burrage Away From Tennis

Burrage's latest setback follows an injury-plagued period that threatened her professional career. She missed approximately six months of competitive tennis during 2024 after suffering serious wrist and ankle injuries.

Her troubles began in February 2024 when she underwent surgery to repair a snapped tendon in her wrist. At the time, she had reached a career-high world ranking of 84.

While preparing to return in April, Burrage ruptured an ankle ligament during a practice session with fellow British player Katie Boulter. The second injury delayed her comeback by another 10 weeks.

She eventually returned to competition in September 2024, having missed the grass-court season, including Wimbledon.

Reflecting on the ordeal in her LTA interview, Burrage said, 'I had seven months out and there were times where I didn't think I'd get back to that level.'

Jodie Burrage Almost Quit Tennis

Burrage's physical struggles also took a considerable emotional toll. In a 2025 BBC Sport interview, she revealed that she had seriously considered retirement during a training session at London's National Tennis Centre in November 2024.

'I was basically crying mid-session, saying I don't know how much more fight I've got,' she recalled.

Despite returning to competitive tennis, Burrage was frustrated by her performances and the distance separating her from her previous level. She had already considered leaving the sport in 2020 following earlier injury problems.

Her fortunes changed shortly afterwards. She reached an ITF tournament final in Slovakia before winning the W100 Dubai tournament, her biggest title at the time. Asked what kept her playing, Burrage pointed to her enduring affection for tennis.

'For some reason, I love this crazy sport. That's what kept me going,' she told BBC Sport.

By January 2025, her perseverance had brought her back to Grand Slam competition, with Burrage preparing to return to the Australian Open.

Now, following another difficult return in Chennai, Burrage finds herself confronting a different challenge, one extending far beyond injuries or results.