“I will come after you”: Arthur Bouquier receives death threat
After receiving a chilling message from a gambler, Arthur Bouquier joins Frances Tiafoe, Sloane Stephens, and Monica Seles as the latest tennis pro targeted by threats and abuse.
Arthur Bouquier became the latest tennis player to receive a disturbing death threat, exposing the ongoing issue of harassment in the sport. The 24-year-old French player shared a message from an online gambler who, enraged over a lost bet, warned, “I will come after you.”
Unfortunately, Bouquier’s experience is far from isolated. The rise of online abuse has seen numerous players, both past and present, targeted with threats. Frances Tiafoe and Sloane Stephens have spoken openly about the hateful messages they receive after matches, often from frustrated bettors. Stephens revealed that following her 2021 US Open loss, she was bombarded with over 2,000 messages, many of them racist and violent.
While online abuse is a modern plague, tennis has a long history of threats against players. The most harrowing example remains Monica Seles, who was stabbed on court in 1993 by a deranged Steffi Graf fan. The attack changed tennis security forever but did not eliminate the problem.
Wow. Had to use ChatGPT to translate this because I was curious why he was tagging ATP/ITF/Tournament.
Someone wrote an entire novel threatening Arthur Bouquier today BEFORE the match. Bold move cotton. I’m sure he isn’t even at the event but yeah this is on another level 🤦♂️ pic.twitter.com/MUhUY5riSx
— 🆚 Spread (@MeVsSpread) March 4, 2025
With betting now deeply intertwined with the sport, threats from gamblers have only increased. Bouquier’s case is a reminder that abuse isn’t limited to the game’s biggest stars. Any player can become a target. Some players have turned off comments on social media, but this is a temporary solution to a larger problem.
Inside the Baseline…
Tennis has always been a mental battle, but now players aren’t just fighting opponents; they’re dodging threats from faceless gamblers who feel entitled to control the outcome. Bouquier’s experience is another reminder that the sport’s growing ties to betting come at a cost. When a stranger tells you, “I will come after you,” that’s not just noise. That is fear creeping into a space where players should feel safe. How many more warnings does tennis need before real action is taken?
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