Share

British tennis teen getting used to racist abuse

London - Teenage British tennis player Jay Clarke says he has come to expect a flood of racist tweets, especially when he loses.

The 19-year-old - who earned a wild card invitation to Wimbledon which will be the first time he contests a singles in a Grand Slam event - won his first ever match on the ATP Tour on Monday beating number 58 Ryan Harrison of the United States in Eastbourne.

However, it was the world number 236's loss in the qualifying tournament for Eastbourne which provoked racist tweets - he was to gain entry to the tournament as a lucky loser.

"It's sad, but I have normalised it," Clarke told BBC Radio referring to receiving racist abuse.

"It's not really a surprise anymore. It's more of a surprise when I don't get it.

"I got something like 15 (abusive messages) after losing that tight match (the qualifier).

"It's happened a few times now so I just block them and move on with my life. They are sad people."

Clarke takes on fellow Briton Cameron Norrie later on Wednesday in the Eastbourne quarter-finals.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
How much would you be prepared to pay for a ticket to watch the Springboks play against the All Blacks at Ellis Park or Cape Town Stadium this year?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
R0 - R200
33% - 1814 votes
R200 - R500
32% - 1774 votes
R500 - R800
19% - 1082 votes
R800 - R1500
8% - 459 votes
R1500 - R2500
3% - 186 votes
I'd pay anything! It's the Boks v All Blacks!
5% - 252 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE