Tennis Player Matwé Middelkoop Speaks Out Against Online Threats in Tennis

• Franklin Stoker

  follows Roland Garros in Paris

Tennis player Matwé Middeloop says that online threats are still the order of the day and that the content is getting harder and harder. The double specialist urges the responsible authorities to take action to prevent worse.

“I find it very annoying the way we tennis players all have to deal with it: from top players to players at small tournaments,” says Middelkoop after his first round win at Roland Garros with his German partner Andreas Mies.

Earlier this week it was revealed that Aryna Sabalenka and Novak Djokovic are the most online hatred among tennis players.

Middelkoop received such a harsh message during the Australian Open in January that he went to the police to report it. He does not disclose the content so as not to mislead people.

According to the global number 23 in doubles, online threats have long since ceased to be swearing via Instagram or Twitter, WhatsApp is also used. “Whether I won or lost, messages will come,” he says. “They come to your front door, so to speak, that’s how loud it is played.”

“Can you take it seriously? No. But it does indicate that society has become tougher. That affects us. We are athletes and we want nothing to do with this.”

The 39-year-old Middelkoop is pleased that Roland Garros has offered software to the participants for some protection against online hate, although he says he still has to install the application on his phone. “This is a step forward.”

According to Middelkoop, the problem is only discussed sparingly in the dressing room. “It’s something personal and it evokes negative energy,” explains de Brabander. “You wave it away, but it still lingers.”

Middelkoop does not have the concrete solution either, but according to him, exposing the perpetrators could help enormously. “We all have to be proactive,” says the tennis player.

“Some people need to step up and tackle this to really solve the problem. What can we really do about this? You could put these haters on screen?”

In any case, Middelkoop remains hopeful that something will change one day. “I think it’s really important that we get some protection. So maybe making these people public is a good antidote.”