Losing a match on the world stage is tough enough, but the challenge did not end on the court for Greek tennis star Maria Sakkari and German player Eva Lys. After their recent losses at the 2025 Toray Pan Pacific Open, both players took to social media to expose a darker side of the sport: a flood of abusive and hateful messages from online trolls. Their public sharing of these experiences has highlighted a growing problem facing professional athletes.
Eva Lys and Maria Sakkari Share Responses After Receiving Abusive Messages Online
Following a loss to Canadian star Leylah Fernandez in the round of 32, Maria Sakkari used her Instagram account to share the hateful messages she received. Sakkari, who had successfully advanced through the qualifiers by defeating Zeynep Sonmez and Suzan Lamens, posted a dignified yet powerful response to the online abuse. Her statement highlighted the emotional toll of a difficult season and her determination to overcome the negativity.
Unfortunately, Sakkari’s experience is becoming all too common on the tour. She pointed out that she is not the only player targeted, noting that World No. 2 Iga Swiatek received similar messages after losing at the China Open. Czech star Linda Noskova faced the same situation after the Wuhan Open. In her post, Sakkari addressed the issue directly, writing:
“I usually don’t do this, but I just wanted to share a few words. There’s really nothing to say about the messages I’ve received after my match, every tennis player gets them almost every day. What I do want to say is that it’s been a challenging season, definitely below my own expectations…It wasn’t the season I hoped for, but good things are coming. And to everyone who doubts me, my goal isn’t to prove you wrong, but to prove myself right…See you in 2026 🩵🫶🏼.”
Meanwhile, German player Eva Lys, who Victoria Mboko defeated in the round of 16, also shared her experience with demeaning messages. This was not the first time for Lys, as she had previously received hate after a quarterfinal loss to Coco Gauff at the 2025 China Open. In a simple but telling Instagram story, she commented, “tennis is fun until its not 🙂.”
The recent backlash comes during a season of mixed results for both players. Lys reached the quarterfinals at the China Open, Tennis in the Land, and La Bisbal d’Empordà tournaments, but her Australian Open campaign ended in the fourth round against Iga Swiatek.
Sakkari’s season has also seen its share of tough losses. In addition to her early exits from the Toray Pan Pacific Open and Japan Women’s Open, she lost to Leylah Fernandez in the round of 64 at the China Open.
At the Guadalajara Open, the Greek player’s run ended with a round of 32 defeat, and she exited the US Open in the third round. Earlier in the season, she lost in the round of 32 at the Monterrey Open to Donna Vekic.
