Mar 7 • 05:56 UTC 🇶🇦 Qatar Al Jazeera

"Targeted her family".. threats against a tennis player and police intervention

Hungarian tennis player Panna Udvardi received threats against her family in Turkey if she did not deliberately lose her match at the Antalya Challenger Tournament.

Panna Udvardi, a 27-year-old Hungarian tennis player ranked 95th in the world, reported receiving distressing threats that targeted her family. According to her social media post, the threats demanded that she intentionally lose her match while participating in the Antalya Challenger tournament in Turkey. The individual making the threats claimed to have knowledge of her family's whereabouts, including their residence, the cars they drive, and even their phone numbers, which heightened the intensity of the situation. To support her, Udvardi's parents contacted the Turkish consulate, and police escorted her to the tournament match.

In the aftermath of the threats, police visited her parents in Hungary to ensure their safety and to gather more information regarding the situation. The support provided by law enforcement was crucial, as Udvardi expressed her fear and concern after seeing images of her family and a weapon sent by the anonymous threatener. Additionally, she reported the incident to the women's professional tennis association (WTA) and filed a formal complaint with the Turkish police after completing her match, highlighting the serious safety concerns in the realm of professional sports.

This incident raises significant questions about player safety and the measures available to protect athletes, particularly regarding sensitive personal information that might lead to such threats. Udvardi mentioned that she was informed other female players have recently faced similar threats, which indicates a concerning trend in professional tennis that demands attention and action from the sport's governing bodies to ensure the safety and well-being of players, especially in international competitions.

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