NEW YORK -- Caroline Garcia, a U.S. Open semifinalist two years ago , drew attention Wednesday to the ever-present problem of cyberbullying in tennis , particularly by people who bet on matches, after her first-round loss at the Grand Slam tournament.

“Maybe you think it doesn't affect us. But it does. We're human,” Garcia wrote on social media . “And sometimes, when we receive (these) messages, we're already emotionally devastated after a tough loss. And they can be damaging. Many before me have raised this issue. And yet, nothing has changed."

Garcia, a French player ranked as high as No. 4, was seeded 28th at the U.S. Open but was eliminated by Renata Zarazúa 6-1, 6-4 on Tuesday. Zarazúa, ranked 92nd, was playing in her first U.S. Open.

Garcia shared examples of “just a few” of the countless messages she received after recent losses, including one suggesting she should take her own life and another that read, “I hope your mom dies soon."

“Even though I'm 30, these messages still hurt, because at the end of the day, I'm just a normal person working hard and trying my best. I have tools and have taken steps to protect myself from this hate. But still, it's unacceptable," Garcia wrote. "It truly concerns me when I think about young players coming up who have to endure this. Players who haven't fully developed as adults and who could be deeply affected by this hatred.”

As other players have pointed out in the past, she discussed the issue of being verbally abused by gamblers who are upset about losing money.

“Tournaments and the sport continue to partner with betting companies, which attract new people to unhealthy gambling habits,” Garcia said. “The days of cigarette brands sponsoring sports are long gone. Yet, we're still promoting betting companies, which actively have a negative impact on the lives of some people.”

This type of online harassment is not a new phenomenon, and it's certainly not new to tennis.

Athletes have spoken out about this issue in the past, and Grand Slam tournaments have been actively working to prevent these messages from reaching the players.

In 2022, the French Open collaborated with a company that uses artificial intelligence to filter players' social media accounts. Furthermore, the organizations responsible for the U.S. Open, Wimbledon, the women's tour, and the lower-level ITF Tour announced in December that they were launching a service to monitor for “abusive and threatening content” on X, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and TikTok.

“Many before me have brought this issue up,” Garcia said. “And still, no progress has been made. Social media platforms don’t take action, despite the advanced state of AI.”

To conclude her message, she encouraged anyone reading to be mindful of the humanity of athletes and entertainers when they see posts about their failures or losses. She urged readers to be kind, express love, and appreciate life.

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