"I've been harassed and threatened" - Sloane Stephens opens up about online abuse

| by Drew Tate

Tennis players, like many athletes, have been subjected to online abuse and nobody knows that better than Sloane Stephens.

With the rise of the internet, the rate of online abuse in many spheres of all life has skyrocketed. Cyber-bullying is at an all-time high and it's a problem anywhere from schools to the workplace. Tennis players are frequent targets of abuse and it's closely tied to gambling and a lot of other issues as well. Stephens, 29, has certainly had her fair share of abuse and she spoke about it in a recent visit to the White House.

Many of you might first associate me with being a professional tennis player, which of course is my day job, but it’s not the sound of who I am. I’m a daughter, a sister, a wife, and I’m more than an athlete, more than a label. It is all disregarded when people online seek to harass me and harm me. Whether I win or lose, someone online is mad and they will make it known. There have been times when I am walking off the court after a loss and not even thinking about anything related to tennis. I'm just worried as I know what will be waiting for me when I unlock my phone.

Stephens at the White House
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"I've been keeping it a secret for a long time so I'm glad it's out" - Venus Williams on Serena returning

Stephens further admitted to understanding why it happens and it's just part of the deal of being a public person whose life is out there in the open. It's still something that bothers her daily because the abuse is constant. It's an issue she wants to see fixed hence why she accepted to talk about the subject in the White House.

People know where I live and everything I do. I’ve been harassed and threatened. I understand that I am a public figure so this comes with the scope of my work. But that access and exposure should never come at the expense of my safety. It is so triggering to constantly advocate for myself and relive the trauma of these messages while getting more messages because I'm speaking up,

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