After being defeated by Angelique Kerber in the third round of the US Open, Sloane Stephens disclosed that she was bombarded with over 2,000 abusive messages online.
Stephens, an American tennis player, was beaten 5-7, 6-2, 6-3 on Friday. The following day, she took to her Instagram story to share a series of screenshots displaying the hateful messages she received post-match. Several of these messages contained racist and sexist remarks and even threats of violence towards the 28-year-old player.
“It’s incredibly tough to read messages like these,” Stephens wrote on her story, “but I want to show you what players face after a defeat.”
In response to the online abuse, Stephens also highlighted the supportive messages she received from her team, whom she referred to as “the ones that truly matter.”
“This issue doesn’t get enough attention,” she expressed, “but it’s truly disheartening. I’m grateful for the backing of those who are there for me. I choose to focus on positive energy amidst the negativity. I aim to share joy with you all here, but not every moment is filled with happiness.”
Having previously been ranked world no. 3 in the WTA rankings, Stephens came into this year’s US Open positioned at 66, despite making it to the third round at Wimbledon and reaching the last 16 at the French Open.
