Heather Watson's started her senior tennis career in 2009. British tennis player Heather Watson says she has received social media abuse "daily" during her career and had her first death threat aged 18. Watson was speaking after compatriot Katie Boultertold BBC Sport about the scale of unsavoury and hurtful comments she has received online, including death threats. And Sir Andy Murrayhas said he is trying to keep his children away from social media and backed calls for more action to prevent abuse of sport stars. "My first death threat was at 18," Watson told BBC Sport at a Wimbledon media event on Friday. "I told my friend [American tennis player] Sloane Stephens at the time. "The thing that shocked me the most, but also kind of made me feel better - because I told her I was scared as this person told me he was watching me and was going to kill me - was that she said 'girl, don't worry, I get these all the time'. "I'm smiling now after so many years and such a long career. I receive abuse daily, but it is all in perspective. "It is all just sad people who have nothing better going in their lives than to sit behind their computer or phone and write that. "I don't think anyone in their right mind would abuse someone online they have never met. It just goes over my head, it is just madness." Watson is preparing for Wimbledon and will face Danish 23rd seed Clara Tauson in the first round of the singles draw, having been handed a wildcard. She won the Wimbledon mixed doubles title in 2016 with Finland's Henri Kontinen and the pair again reached the final 12 months later. Speaking to BBC Sport earlier this month Boulter said that receiving abusive content and death threats has become "the norm" for athletes and that "it becomes more apparent every single time you go on your phone". Murray, who retired from professional tennis in August 2024, said the prevalence of social media abuse "hasn't really changed", despite athletes speaking out on the subject for many years. Following Boulter's comments, fellow tennis players demanded more action, including calls for the introduction of identity verification on social media. Several of theEngland women's football team also plan to give up social mediafor their forthcoming European Championship defence in Switzerland. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer told the BBC that the government will explore whether further protective measures can be put in place on social media platforms.
I had first death threat at 18 - Watson on social media abuse
TruthLens AI Suggested Headline:
"Heather Watson Discusses Social Media Abuse and Death Threats in Professional Tennis"
Bbc News
7.6
TruthLens AI Summary
Heather Watson, a British tennis player who began her professional career in 2009, has revealed that she has faced daily social media abuse throughout her career, including receiving her first death threat at the age of 18. During a recent interview with BBC Sport, Watson recounted the frightening experience of her first death threat, where an individual claimed to be watching her and threatened her life. She shared this incident with fellow tennis player Sloane Stephens, who reassured her by stating that such threats are unfortunately common in their profession. Despite the distressing nature of these experiences, Watson expressed that she has learned to cope with the abuse by understanding that it stems from individuals who lead unfulfilling lives, and she has chosen to focus on her career and well-being instead of letting it affect her negatively. She emphasized that the online abuse she encounters is simply a reflection of the madness of certain individuals who hide behind their screens.
As Watson prepares for the upcoming Wimbledon tournament, where she has received a wildcard entry to compete against Danish player Clara Tauson, the issue of social media abuse in sports has gained significant attention. Fellow British tennis player Katie Boulter recently highlighted that receiving abusive messages, including death threats, has become a normalized part of being an athlete, making it increasingly apparent with every social media interaction. Andy Murray, a retired professional tennis player, echoed concerns about the persistence of such abuse, noting that despite athletes advocating for change, the situation has not improved significantly. In response to these troubling trends, there have been calls for stronger measures against online abuse, including identity verification on social media platforms. The issue has even reached political discussions, with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer indicating that the government would consider exploring new protective measures for social media users, particularly for athletes facing harassment.
TruthLens AI Analysis
You need to be a member to generate the AI analysis for this article.
Log In to Generate AnalysisNot a member yet? Register for free.