I was told: Hope you get cancer..

Star Katie on tennis abuse hell

- BY MATTHEW YOUNG

TENNIS star Katie Boulter has revealed the scale of online abuse players suffer - including death threats.

The British No 2 told how one vile hate message, sent after she lost a tie break, read: “I hope you get cancer.”

Another one warned of damage to her gran’s grave “if she’s not dead by tomorrow” and “candles and a coffin for your entire family”. A third said: “Go to hell, I lost money my mother sent me.”

Figures from 2024 show 8,000 abusive, violent or threatening messages were sent to 458 tennis players on social media - many related to gambling.

Boulter, 28, said abusive content has “become the norm” and she worries about the impact it has on younger players.