British tennis player Heather Watson says she has received social media abuse “daily” during her career and had her first death threat aged 18.
Watson was speaking after compatriot Katie Boulter told BBC Sport about the scale of unsavoury and hurtful comments she has received online, including death threats.
And Sir Andy Murray has said he is trying to keep his children away from social media and backed calls for more action to prevent abuse of sport stars.
“My first death threat was at 18,” Watson told BBC Sport. “I told my friend [American tennis player] Sloane Stephens at the time.
“The thing that shocked me the most, but also kind of made me feel better – because I told her I was scared as this person told me he was watching me and was going to kill me – was that she said ‘girl, don’t worry, I get these all the time’.
“I’m smiling now after so many years and such a long career. I receive abuse daily, but it is all in perspective.
“It is all just sad people who have nothing better going in their lives than to sit behind their computer or phone and write that.
“I don’t think anyone in their right mind would abuse someone online they have never met. It just goes over my head, it is just madness.”
Watson is preparing for Wimbledon and will face Danish 23rd seed Clara Tauson in the first round of the singles draw, having been handed a wildcard.
She won the Wimbledon mixed doubles title in 2016 with Finland’s Henri Kontinen and the pair again reached the final 12 months later.
