Katie Boulter revealed the shocking level of online abuse she receives as a professional women’s tennis player before she began the defence of her Nottingham Open title in emphatic fashion.

British tennis player Katie Boulter has told the BBC she received death threats targeting her and her family during the French Open, saying in an interview that online abuse has become the norm and that she is worried about the impact it will have on younger players.

British number two Katie Boulter has received a “really warm response” and “a lot of love” after revealing the scale of abuse aimed at her online. The 28-year-old shared her experiences, which included death threats, with BBC Sport to highlight the issue of players encountering toxic messages on social media.