Casper Ruud says it is "sad" what certain people are capable of saying after losing a bet, but the world No. 12 also adds he is doing his best to avoid reading what gets to his Instagram DM.
With the rise of social media, the general public received easier access to interacting with athletes. And while it has helped fans interact with their favorite players, it has also led to players being exposed to verbal abuse and even death threats.
In tennis, it has become a common occurrence to see an ATP or a WTA player posting a screenshot of their Instagram DM following a loss. Sadly, there is a pattern as in the majority of those cases, angry bettors don't select the words and insult players on all levels.
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Ruud on angry bettors: They have no filter or shame about what they are writing
Unfortunately, it has become a common thing for athletes due to bettors who have no filter and no shame about what they are writing. Its the dark side of that world. I try not to read it and not get affected by it. I like to think that theyre overreacting and throwing out crazy stuff because theyre angry that we didnt do well for their bets. Its just sad overall," Ruud said at the Stockholm Open.
On Wednesday, Belinda Bencic was in action in Ningbo and beat Yulia Starodubtseva 5-7 6-4 7-5. For some reason, she was still targeted by angry bettors. One of them expressed the desire to see the Swiss tennis star raped, while another called her "a prostitute."
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Meanwhile, Ruud is playing in Stockholm this week, where he beat Marin Cilic in his opening match to set up a quarterfinal against Sebastian Korda.
