Remember when Carlos Alcaraz admitted, “I get them too. There are really extravagant messages,” or when Jannik Sinner faced a wave of hate during his ban period, only for close friend Jack Draper to step in and defend him? This toxic underbelly of tennis fandom isn’t going away. Whether it’s the ATP or WTA, players continue to battle an invisible opponent: online abuse. The latest victim? Rising 20-year-old American star Alex Michelsen reportedly received over 500 vile hate comments after a recent loss. Tennis insiders confirm what we already fear: social media is turning the sport’s brightest hopes into targets.
In a recent episode of The Changeover podcast, a small clip uploaded to their IG account pulled the curtain back on the harsh world of online hate targeting tennis players. Captioned, “Bettors lose their minds in our DMs weekly but back in college there were some good disses in person ,” the video featured Jody Maginley and Justin Roberts candidly discussing the flood of vitriol many players face on social media.
Maginley kicked off the chat by asking Roberts about the most messages or DMs he had ever received from angry bettors or fans. Roberts coolly replied, “Less than like seven, at most.” But things escalated quickly when Maginley shifted the spotlight to rising American star Alex Michelsen. He said, “We Collab with lot of the athletes, so we have on. So we recently had on Michelsen, and Michelsen was playing, I don’t even know what match it was like recently that he lost. Maybe Washington.”
That loss, according to Maginley, unleashed a flood of rage. “Bro, I swear he got over 500, like comments. So that’s just on a post that we collab with. So I can’t imagine what his DMs look like,” he added, stunned by the magnitude of online abuse. “Oh my god. Like the most I get is like 10 maximum, in my DMs or comments or stuff. But he gets over 500, bro. Like ridiculous.”
Unfortunately, this isn’t new territory for Michelsen. Just last year, the then-19-year-old suffered a gut-wrenching defeat during his main draw debut at Wimbledon. Facing Lloyd Harris in the opening round, Michelsen had the match in his grip after winning the first two sets. But it all unraveled, and he fell in a heartbreaking final-set tiebreak. The agony of being so close yet walking away empty-handed hit hard, and so did the fans.
Following the loss, brutal comments poured in. Some fans told Michelsen to “pack his bag,” while others heartlessly called for him to quit tennis altogether. The floodgates of abuse opened wide, with a barrage of criticism over how he “choked” on one of the sport’s biggest stages.
And let’s be clear, he’s far from alone. Even veterans of the game, stars who’ve given their blood, sweat, and years to this sport, aren’t spared. In today’s world, where one match can define a player’s mental peace, social media isn’t just a platform; it’s a battleground.
Gael Monfils fires back at racist abuse post-Stuttgart exit
At this year’s Stuttgart Open, the spotlight fell not just on the tennis but on the storm that followed. French veteran Gael Monfils faced a swift first-round exit at the hands of Alex Michelsen. But what followed off the court was far more disturbing than the scoreline. A barrage of hateful, racist, and vile abuse flooded Monfils’ social media, with some even wishing injury upon the 38-year-old. The bettors were angry. But Monfils? He wasn’t having it.
The 13-time ATP title winner clapped back with a masterclass in sarcasm and self-awareness. In a fiery message, Monfils ridiculed those betting on him despite his form, saying, “Hey guys, this is not financial advice. But really, you still betting on me? First tournament on grass? I play Alex Michelsen. 20-years-old, 75 in the world, and you want to bet on me? You writing that I’m st. I know I’m st. We both know I’m s**t, and you still bet on me?” It was brutal honesty, drenched in biting wit, Monfils holding up a mirror to the bitter bettors.
But he didn’t stop there. With the grace of a seasoned fighter, Monfils turned toward the racist vitriol and the shocking wishes for him to get hurt. “By the way, you know my legs were cracked many times. I played with a broken leg already, so, don’t pray for that,” he said, defiant. And as for the color of his skin? He hit back harder: “We are in 2025 and you give me the skin color. What does my skin color have to do with my tennis performance?”
Then came the most heartfelt punchline. “I know I look pretty. I say that because my mom and my wife tell me I look pretty. Maybe I’m really awful for you.” It was classic Monfils, equal parts fierce, funny, and raw.
And sadly, it’s not just on the men’s side. WTA stars like Emma Raducanu have also faced this cruel underbelly, like when she broke down in Dubai under similar hate on court.
The court may be their stage, but the real battle? It’s playing out in the comments section. There’s hope that someday, things will improve.
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