By Richard Pagliaro | Saturday, March 7, 2026
Photo credit: Panna Udvardy Instagram
INDIAN WELLS—Tournament tennis took a dark and twisted turn for Panna Udvardy.
World No. 95 Udvardy shared on social media she received threatening messages over WhatsApp on her personal phone. An unknown perpetrator threatened Udvardy that her family would be harmed if she did not lose her match at the 125K Megasary Hotels Open on the red clay of Antalya, Turkey.
Even more disturbing: the threatening message were accompanied by photos of the Hungarian player’s family members and an image of a gun suggesting they would be targeted for violence if she did not intentionally lose her match.
“The person told me that if I didn’t lose my match today, they would harm members of my family,” Udvardy posted on Instagram. “They said they knew where my family lives, what cars they drive and that they had their phone numbers. They even sent photos of my family members and a picture of a gun..”
The 27-year-old Hungarian said given the fact she was told other players had received threats, she believes the WTA data base was breached, exposing some players’ personal information. She believes perpetrators are using that personal information to threaten multiple players: tank your match of potentially face violent consequences.
“It was honestly very scary to receive something like this,” Udvardy said. “I immediately contacted the WTA supervisor, sent the screenshots, and informed my parents.
“My parents then contacted the consulate, and when I woke up this morning I also spoke again with the WTA supervisor. I was told that similar threats have recently happened to other players and that they believe personal information may have leaked from the WTA database, which is currently being investigated.”
The second-seeded Udvardy reached the Antalya quarterfinals losing to Ukrainian Anhelina Kalinina, 7-5, 6-2. Udvardy thanked Turkish authorities for providing police protection to her and her family.
“The consulate responded very quickly and sent three police officers to my match, which I’m extremely grateful for,” Udvardy said. “Police also went to my parents and grandmother’s homes, and after the match I filed an official police report here in Turkey.”
Several players have reported receiving threats from suspected gamblers or gambling syndicates.
Asked her reaction at the BNP Paribas Open on Friday night, Naomi Osaka called the threats “insane” and said “I don’t see a positive to [sports gambling].”
“I think sports gambling, it’s harsh to say it’s terrible, because obviously I’m an athlete, and so I’m living on the other side of it,” Osaka told the media in Indian Wells. “But I don’t see a positive to it, especially
when people don’t treat the athletes as human.
“And I get some people, like, bet absurd amount of money, but that’s their responsibility and they shouldn’t be taking it out on the athlete, because I think we care more if we win or lose than the person betting money. So to like threaten someone’s life over it is insane.”