“You and your family will pay dearly”: Tennis betting abuse resurfaces as Renata Zarazua receives threats against her family

Friday, 09 October 2026 at 23:30

Renata Zarazua has become the latest tennis player to share a disturbing message threatening her and her family, bringing renewed attention to the abuse players face from individuals who lose money through betting.

The Mexican posted a screenshot of the message on her Instagram Stories, in which the sender threatened to track down her relatives and cause them physical harm over what they perceived as a poor performance during a match.

The incident comes as Zarazua continues her campaign at the Suzhou Open, where she has reached the semifinals of the WTA 125 tournament. The former world No. 51 travelled to China after competing at the China Open, where she lost to Aryna Sabalenka in the second round. Her latest results have put her back in contention for another title, but the threats highlight a persistent problem across professional tennis that extends beyond individual results.

Renata Zarazua shares threats against her family

The message began with an insult before threatening Zarazua and her relatives. “I swear I’ll find your family; I’ve just looked at photos on Instagram,” the sender wrote, before threatening to gouge out their eyes.

The threats then turned directly towards the Mexican player, with the sender claiming they would leave her unable to play tennis or care for her relatives. “I’ll leave you without hands so you can’t play or look after them,” the message read.

The individual also accused Zarazua of deliberately giving away a game after leading 2-0 following two breaks of serve, claiming to have been watching the match. The sender explicitly connected the anger to the money at stake, writing: “There’s a lot of money involved here, and you can’t give it away.”

The message continued with a threat of further retaliation: “Call the police, whoever you want; I’ll go to prison. But you and your f**king family will pay dearly for this ‘giveaway,’ I swear.” It ended with the chilling warning: “Here, whoever gives it away pays or dies.”

Zarazua has won three WTA 125 singles titles and reached a career-high ranking of world No. 51. She also defeated Madison Keys at the 2025 US Open, when the American was ranked among the world's top 10. In Suzhou, Zarazua recorded wins over Han Shi and Katarina Zavatska, while also progressing after Darya Astakhova retired, to reach the semifinals against Slovakia's Rebecca Sramkova.

WTA report highlights the scale of betting-related abuse

Zarazua's case follows other incidents in which players have reported threats apparently linked to gambling. In March 2026, Italian player Lucrezia Stefanini said she received a WhatsApp message threatening her and her family before an Indian Wells qualifying match.

The sender named her parents and the place where she was born, and included a photograph of a gun. Stefanini said the threats came in connection with winning her previous match.

The scale of the problem was also highlighted in a report published by the WTA and World Tennis in July 2026. After analysing more than 1.2 million social media posts and comments from the 2025 season, the organisations found that gamblers were responsible for 42% of all verified abuse directed at players and 59% of serious abuse. The latter category included violent, sexual and racist attacks, as well as targeted threats.

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The report also said 35 accounts linked to 12 individuals were referred to law enforcement. Although tennis authorities have expanded monitoring and reporting measures, the figures show that betting-related harassment remains a significant threat to players across the sport.

Zarazua's experience adds to the cases raising concerns about the consequences of online abuse. Players are responsible for competing, not for satisfying gamblers' expectations, and threats against them or their families are not a legitimate response to a sporting result.

Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist

Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.

His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.

In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.

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