Shelby Rogers barely had time to look at her phone after her loss at the US Open on Monday afternoon, but she knew what was on it.
Or if they weren’t there yet, they were coming.
Rogers — who fell in straight sets to Great Britain’s Emma Raducanu in the fourth round of the Grand Slam — said she was facing roughly “nine million death threats” coming her way on social media from those who are mad at her from losing.
“Obviously we appreciate the spotlight in those moments, but then you have today and I’m going to have nine million death threats and whatnot,” she said after her loss, via ESPN. “It’s very much polarizing, one extreme to the other very quickly.”
While that number may be exaggerated, the impact even one death threat has is very real.
“You could probably go through my profile right now — I’m probably a ‘fat pig’ and words that I can’t say right now,” Rogers said, via ESPN. “But, it is what it is. You try not to take it to heart, and it’s the unfortunate side of any sport and what we do.”
Sloane Stephens speaks out about abuse
Rogers isn’t the only one speaking out about abuse on social media at the US Open.
Fellow American star and former US Open champion Sloane Stephens said she received more than 2,000 abusive comments and messages on Instagram after she fell to Angelique Kerber in the third round at the US Open.
Stephens shared examples on her Instagram story, some of which included racial slurs and threats of both physical and sexual violence.
“This type of hate is so exhausting and never-ending,” she wrote, in part. “This isn’t talked about enough, but it really freaking sucks.
“I’m happy to have people in my corner who support me. I’m choosing positive vibes over negative ones. I choose to show you guys happiness on here, but it’s not always smiles and roses.”
Rogers was very much on the same page as Stephens on Monday. Though she said she tries to ignore the comments, she said that it “does get to your head sometimes.”
“Social media can’t control what I’m doing and the way my training is going to move forward, but I wish it didn’t exist,” she said, via ESPN. “It’s really tough.”
