The ATP has blocked more than 234,000 abusive online comments from reaching tennis players and fans over the past year, highlighting the growing scale of online harassment in professional sport.
The figures were released in October 2026 as part of an update on ATP Safe Sport, an initiative launched in 2024 to protect players from online abuse. Developed in partnership with Tennis Data Innovations (TDI), sports technology company Sportradar, Social Protect and Arwen AI, the programme combines artificial intelligence moderation with threat assessments, investigations and cooperation with law enforcement.
During its second year, ATP Safe Sport analysed more than 3.7 million comments across ATP and players’ social media channels. More than 284,000 comments were identified as abusive, with over 82 per cent removed in real time before reaching players and fans.
The findings also revealed how widespread the problem has become. More than 85 per cent of players who received engagement on social media were subjected to abusive comments, which originated from more than 100,000 accounts.
In response, the ATP has expanded its protection services to cover male players across all ATP rankings following the introduction of Social Protect. The programme has also increased its platform coverage, introduced automated threat alerts and developed a dedicated mobile application to provide players with additional support.
ATP Safe Sport forms part of the organisation’s broader commitment to player welfare, with online abuse remaining a significant concern for athletes and the wider tennis community. While the initiative cannot eliminate harassment entirely, its latest results show the scale of harmful content being identified and intercepted before it reaches its intended targets.
The ATP plans to continue strengthening its safeguards as online threats evolve, with the aim of creating a safer digital environment for players and fans.