For 24-year-old Australian tennis player Priscilla Hon, abusive comments and messages targeting her on social media are nothing new.
Hon has worked through a gruelling season of tennis in 2022 that has seen her spend just over seven weeks at home in Brisbane.
The world number 158 in women’s singles says she receives vile comments on her Instagram after every match, including threats of injury and even death.
But she says “you can’t let them get to you”.
“It's been around for many years … every single match I play I get hate messages or comments and I'm used to [it],” she told SBS Chinese.
“We’re used to just deleting comments and not reading messages and you kind of get a bit prone to it. Because it's been how many years of that now.
Much of the hate comes from people placing online bets on tennis matches, Hon said.
“And it's just [people that bet] that put money on your matches [for you] to lose, basically.”
And it’s not just online trolls that are abusing her when she loses a match.
Australian tennis player Priscilla Hon posted on Instagram about abuse from online trolls. Source: Instagram
“You realise you can't, you know, let them get to you. Because it's so many. And it's all the time it's every single week you play.
“But even when you win, sometimes you'll still get hate because someone would have bet against you and you won the match. So they lost money ... you can't really win either way.”
The more famous you are, the worse it’s going to getPriscilla Hon
Hon, who says she is a popular player on the women’s tour, which she puts down to her “chilled” nature and making friends with other players.
Number-one-ranked British women’s player Emma Radacanu, a friend of Hon’s and who shot to fame after winning the 2021 US Open as an unseeded player, has been a high-profile target of online trolls.
Hon says Radacanu, like many of the top players, receive the most social media abuse.
“It's just basically the more famous you are, the worse it's gonna get because it's more people watching you and betting on you,” she said.
“It just keeps getting more … Emma gets a lot [of abuse] obviously. But if you go look at the top players especially, you would see so many - if you actually went and looked at all the comments.
“She spends a lot less time on social media because of all the hate. For sure.”
Hon, who started her own sneaker brand in 2020, says she can’t just switch off social media to avoid online trolls.
“In tennis, because it is an individual sport. Now, social media is our only platform to reach out,” she said.
One of the many Instagram messages Priscilla Hon has received from online trolls. Source: Instagram
It’s been a “successful” season for Hon, who’s managed to stay healthy and on the court for the first time in years.
Hon said she had played the most tournaments she’d ever had in a calendar year - 25 so far - which was one of her goals for 2022.
“I had a goal this year to try and get top 100 … another goal of mine was to play a lot of tournaments, probably the most I have [in my career],” she said.
Another abusive message received by Australian tennis player Priscilla Hon. Source: Instagram
After starting the year with a bang in January by beating defeating two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitová at the Adelaide International, Hon has racked up some big wins, including ITF titles in Israel and the United Kingdom.
Her season has culminated in her selection to represent Australia in Glasgow, Scotland at the upcoming Billie Jean King Cup finals, joining world No.34 Ajla Tomljanovic in the five-person team.
Priscilla Hon in her first round singles match against Marketa Vondrousova of Czech Republic on day two of the 2022 Australian Open. Source: Getty
“And there's nothing better than representing your country.”
Speaking of her selection, Australian team captain Alicia Molik said: “We then have Priscilla Hon as our second singles player, who has been consistent on the circuit all year and claimed two ITF titles.”
Visiting Hong Kong
Hon said she was excited to be able to finally visit “her second home” Hong Kong after the city relaxed its COVID-19 quarantine measures this month.
“I love Hong Kong … I am going to go back at the end of November to go visit my grandma and my aunties and uncles - I haven't seen them in since before COVID,” she said.
“As soon as I found out the borders were open, I was, you know, looking at flights to see when I can go. So once my season is over, I'm gonna go fly back and see them all.
“I've always had the best memories [in Hong Kong], it's the best food … I love the people. So I just love Hong Kong, and I can't wait to get back.”
