French Open Offers Players Protection against Online Harassment

FILE - A sunset over the Philippe Chatrier courts during the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, France, Monday, June 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena, File)
FILE - A sunset over the Philippe Chatrier courts during the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, France, Monday, June 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena, File)
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French Open Offers Players Protection against Online Harassment

FILE - A sunset over the Philippe Chatrier courts during the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, France, Monday, June 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena, File)
FILE - A sunset over the Philippe Chatrier courts during the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, France, Monday, June 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena, File)

French Open organizers are giving all players access to an online tool meant to protect them from cyberbullying and harassment on social media.
The French tennis federation said Monday the technology developed by a French company will be made available to all players taking part in this year's clay-court Grand Slam tournament. The software uses artificial intelligence to filter comments posted to social media accounts and block those that are deemed toxic or abusive, The Associated Press reported.
It said the tool "aims to preserve the players, their mental health, the values of sport and tennis and to banish people who come to spread their aggression and hatred on social networks.”
“Tennis being one of the sports most affected by this scourge, athletes can thus be victims in a direct or indirect way,” the federation added.
Players and tennis officials can opt to connect their social networks to the technology, developed by the Bodyguard.ai company, before the tournament and keep it in place for at least one week after it ends. Play in the main draw begins May 28 at Roland Garros.
“This way, they won’t receive any derogatory comments,” the French federation said. “It is an AI that performs moderation in real time. The comment is analyzed in less than 200 milliseconds. A team of linguists creates word structures to update the technology in real time from what is posted on social networks to generate a contextual analysis. The goal is to ensure that nothing is missed, while making sure that nothing is censored.”
The different platforms monitored are Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, TikTok and Discord.
“The mental health of players is a priority issue for the French Open," French federation director Caroline Flaissier said. “There is no place for any form of violence in our tournament.”



Four Players Advance to Semi-Finals of Next Generation ATP Finals

The event is organized by the Saudi Tennis Federation and the Association of Tennis Professionals - SPA
The event is organized by the Saudi Tennis Federation and the Association of Tennis Professionals - SPA
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Four Players Advance to Semi-Finals of Next Generation ATP Finals

The event is organized by the Saudi Tennis Federation and the Association of Tennis Professionals - SPA
The event is organized by the Saudi Tennis Federation and the Association of Tennis Professionals - SPA

The group stage of the Next Generation ATP Finals concluded at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, the tournament's second edition hosted by Saudi Arabia.
Organized by the Saudi Tennis Federation and the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), the event is supervised by the Ministry of Sports and sponsored by the Public Investment Fund.

According to SPA, the matches drew a significant audience, underscoring the growing popularity of tennis in the Kingdom.
The final day of the group stage confirmed the semi-finalists from the red and blue groups. French player Luca Van Assche secured his spot alongside red group leader Alex Michelsen of the US.

In the blue group, American Learner Tien triumphed over Frenchman Arthur Fils, to claim the runner-up position, joining Brazilian Joao Fonseca, the group leader.
The semi-finals, scheduled for today, feature Alex Michelsen facing Tien in an all-American clash, while Fonseca will take on Van Assche. The winners of these matches will advance to the final, set to take place tomorrow.
The tournament has showcased exceptional talent and reinforced Saudi Arabia's commitment to hosting world-class sporting events.