Hate messages are not uncommon for tennis stars. A German tennis ace has now responded with strong words.
After her defeat at the WTA tournament in Warsaw, Tamara Korpatsch sent a clear message online. The 30-year-old posted a hate message on Instagram that she had received after her defeat in the round of 32 against Gao Xinyu (6:7, 4:6) – and responded with harsh words.
One user had wished her death after the match. Apparently, he had bet on the German to win. Korpatsch, currently ranked 155th in the world, wrote in her story: “As you all say: I’m shit, I can’t serve, I play bad tennis. If I’m so bad, why the hell are you betting on me?”
“Focus on your own shitty life”
The player also addressed the sender of the message directly: “It’s better not to hope for other people’s deaths, but to focus on your own shitty life.”
Such attacks on tennis pros are not isolated incidents. According to a recent study by the WTA players’ organization, around 40 percent of hate messages come from “angry bettors” – people who give free rein to their anger because they lost sports bets.
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Korpatsch also addressed this section of the audience clearly: “You’d better stop betting on games and start working properly! I don’t give a shit what you say about me.”
