Katie Boulter reveals disgusting abuse Wimbledon hopeful has received - 'It's horrible'

Tennis star Katie Boulter has opened up about the "horrible" abuse she has received on social media, revealing that she regularly gets sent death threats. Boulter believes this has become "the norm" and is concerned about the effect it can have on young players who are just starting their careers.

The 28-year-old is the current British No. 2 behind and told : "At the very start of my career, it's probably something I took very personally... getting comments about the way you look.

"It becomes more apparent every single time you go on your phone. I think it increases in number and it also increases in the level of things that people say. I don't think there's anything off the cards now."

And Boutler admits it is difficult to work out what could be a genuine threat and what is not, with Raducanu during the Dubai Tennis Championships back in February.

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"I think it just kind of shows how vulnerable we are," she explained. "You really don't know if this person is on site. You really don't know if they're nearby or if they know where you live or anything like that.

"I just wonder who the person is that has sent that. I don't think it's something that I would ever say to my worst enemy. It's just an awful, awful thing to say to anyone. It's horrible.

"As far as death threats, it's just not something you want to be reading straight after an emotional loss. A lot of the time you get it after you win as well."

Boulter also says she sometimes responds to those who have sent abusive messages to try and get them to realise the impact of what they have done, adding: "I've just tried to send them a nice message [so] maybe they can take a second and look at themselves and go: 'Oh, well maybe I shouldn't have sent that.'

"Sometimes the replies I actually get from that is them saying: 'Oh no, I'm a huge fan. I'm so sorry. I didn't want to send you that stuff, but it was emotional, I didn't mean to. You know, I still support you. I think you're amazing.' They don't realise sometimes what they've actually said to these people."

And Boulter is expecting a major increase in the abuse she receives when Wimbledon gets underway in a few weeks time. "Wimbledon for me would probably be pretty astronomical," she explained.

"As a couple, we actually both get a little bit from each other as well, so he [Alex de Minaur] tends to get some of my matches if I've lost, and if he's lost then sometimes I get his and likewise sometimes when he's won. You can get hundreds of messages after games, after points, after sets and after matches."

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