Victoria Mboko’s coach, Nathalie Tauziat, condemns bettors who hurl insults at players as having “no brain,” praising the athletes who publicly call out abusive behavior.
In recent years, tennis has seen a surge of social media harassment, with many players reporting a flood of negative and insulting messages on Instagram after losses. Often, these messages come from fans who had money riding on a match and ended up losing. Unless a player shuts down their social accounts, they’re left to weather both praise and contempt. More players are now sharing screenshots of the messages to expose the perpetrators to the public.
Tauziat, who enjoyed a storied career with eight WTA titles and a peak ranking of world No. 3, told CLAY that those who engage in this behavior have nothing better to do with their time. She said it’s healthy that people speak out about it, but there’s little players can do beyond trying not to let it consume them.
She also emphasized the responsibility of parents and a player’s support system to shield the young athletes from the worst of social media’s excesses.
Tauziat’s guidance comes on the heels of Mboko’s rising success, including titles in Montreal and Hong Kong this year and a career-high ranking of No. 18. Under Tauziat’s mentorship, the 19-year-old has shown rapid progress and potential for continued improvement.
