Ukrainian tennis star Elina Svitolina has exposed shocking death threats from angry bettors after her loss to Naomi Osaka at the Canadian Open on August 6, 2025. The 30-year-old mother shared disturbing screenshots on Instagram Stories, calling out the “shameful” behavior.
Elina Svitolina’s Instagram Stories With the Disturbing Comments
Svitolina lost to Osaka 6-2, 6-2 in the Montreal semifinals in just 68 minutes. The nightmare began when the world No. 13 was flooded with vile messages from gamblers who bet on her.
“To all the bettors: I’m a mom before I’m an athlete,” Svitolina wrote on Instagram. “The way you talk to women ā to mothers ā is SHAMEFUL. If your moms saw your messages, they’d be disgusted.”
Elina Svitolina showed the abusive & horrific messages she received from bettors after her loss to Naomi Osaka in Montreal.
Her response to them:
āTo all the bettors: I’m a mom before I’m an athlete. The way you talk to women – to mothers – is SHAMEFUL. If your moms saw yourā¦ pic.twitter.com/nG7jA87Bw3
ā The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) August 6, 2025
The messages were deeply disturbing. One user sent death threats with violent language. Some referenced Ukraine’s ongoing war with Russia, adding cruel elements to harassment.
The Growing Online Abuse in Tennis
This shows a serious problem in professional tennis. Reports reveal that angry bettors caused nearly half of all social media abuse directed at players in 2024. The French Open now uses AI software to filter abuse on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X.
Australian star Nick Kyrgios called Svitolina’s harassment “disgusting.”
Disgusting. ā¹ļø https://t.co/Ntgs709qha
ā Nicholas Kyrgios (@NickKyrgios) August 6, 2025
The abuse comes months after her husband, Gaƫl Monfils, faced similar treatment following his Stuttgart Open loss against Alex Michelsen. The 38-year-old fought back with humor, posting Instagram videos questioning why people bet on him.
“You’re still betting on me? First tournament on grass, I play Alex Michelsen, 20 years old, and you want to bet on me?” Monfils said. “You are writing that I’m sh*t. I know I’m sh*t. We both know I’m sh*t, and you still bet on me? Who is the dumbest between you and me?”
Monfils addressed racist comments, asking, “What does my skin color have to do with my performance?” He told people to “open some books” and move beyond prejudice.
View this post on Instagram
For Svitolina, who returned to tennis in April 2023 after having daughter Skai in October 2022, the abuse carries extra weight. She’s balancing motherhood with a career while dealing with her country’s war.
The former world No. 3 has enjoyed a strong 2025 season, reaching quarterfinals in Australia and Montreal, plus winning her 18th WTA title in Rouen. Against Osaka, she converted one break point while the Japanese managed four.
