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Hungarian tennis player Panna Udvardy has attracted attention for an unusual reason beyond her performances on court. The 28 year old joined OnlyFans to connect more closely with fans and create an additional source of income, but her recent comments at the Chennai Open have also brought attention to the disturbing online abuse faced by professional tennis players.
Udvardy, currently ranked World No. 86, opened up about her decision to use the subscription based platform in an interview during the WTA 250 Chennai Open. She also spoke about the mental toll of online harassment, having personally experienced threats against her family earlier this year.
Who Is Panna Udvardy?
Panna Udvardy is a Hungarian professional tennis player born on September 28, 1998, in Balatonboglar, Hungary. She reached a career high singles ranking of World No. 59 and has competed regularly on the WTA Tour and WTA 125 circuit.
According to her official WTA profile, she has earned more than $749,000 in career prize money. She also reached the singles final in Bogota in 2026.
Udvardy has established herself as a competitive player on the professional circuit, but her decision to join OnlyFans has introduced another dimension to her career away from tennis.
Why Did Panna Udvardy Join OnlyFans?
Udvardy joined OnlyFans in late March 2026, using the platform to share content related to her tennis career and personal life.
She explained that the platform allows athletes to build a closer relationship with their supporters than traditional social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok.
“I think it’s a platform where I can connect with my fans much more closely than Instagram or TikTok or any other social media platforms,” Udvardy said during her Chennai Open interview.
She also highlighted the importance of changing the perception of OnlyFans, which is widely associated with adult content.
Udvardy said her page focuses on her life as a tennis player, including the smaller details that fans do not normally see from the outside.
The Hungarian revealed that the platform has reportedly signed around 500 athletes over the last four years as it looks to expand its presence in sports.
How OnlyFans Helps Udvardy Financially
Udvardy’s decision is also closely connected to the financial challenges of professional tennis.
Unlike the biggest names in the sport, players outside the top rankings often struggle to cover the costs of coaching, travel, accommodation, equipment and medical treatment.
She explained that winning tournaments does not always guarantee a profit after expenses.
“Tennis is a sport where you only earn if you win,” she said.
Udvardy added that having a consistent income through OnlyFans gives her financial security, particularly when injuries or a drop in rankings can affect her ability to compete.
“For me, it is just the peace of mind that I know that for this month I don’t have to worry about paying for my coach or not being able to go to a further tournament or anything like that,” she explained.
She did not disclose how much she earns through the platform. However, she made it clear that maintaining an account requires considerable work, including regularly responding to subscribers and staying in contact with fans.
Panna Udvardy Received Threats Against Her Family
Udvardy’s comments about online abuse carry particular significance because she experienced a frightening incident during a WTA 125 tournament in Antalya, Turkey, in March 2026.
An unidentified person reportedly sent her threatening WhatsApp messages demanding that she deliberately lose her quarterfinal match against Ukraine’s Anhelina Kalinina.
The messages included photographs of her family members and a picture of a gun. The sender also claimed to have information about her relatives and their homes.
Udvardy reported the incident to the authorities and informed the WTA. Three police officers accompanied her during the quarterfinal, while police also provided protection at the homes of her parents and grandmother.
She eventually lost the match 7-6 (7-3), 7-5.
The incident highlighted how threats against professional athletes can extend beyond sporting criticism and put their families at risk.
Jodie Burrage’s Chennai Open Experience Highlights Online Abuse
Udvardy’s recent comments came after British tennis player Jodie Burrage received abusive messages and death threats following her first-round defeat at the Chennai Open.
Burrage lost 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 to India’s Vaishnavi Adkar after leading 5-3 in the deciding set.
The 27-year-old subsequently shared screenshots of the abusive messages on Instagram, writing: “Nice welcome back to tour. I remember why I left.”
Udvardy said players increasingly face hostility on social media regardless of whether they win or lose.
“All the players are experiencing this, which is very sad,” she said.
She also described the mental impact of receiving abusive messages after difficult matches.
“When you have a tough match, and the first thing you see is these messages, it’s mentally very, very draining,” Udvardy explained.
Tennis Players Face Growing Threat From Online Abuse
The problem extends beyond individual incidents. Data from the WTA’s Threat Matrix programme showed that female tennis players received more than 12,000 abusive social media posts and messages in 2025.
Angry gamblers were responsible for 42 per cent of verified abuse and 59 per cent of serious abuse recorded by the programme.
The WTA launched Threat Matrix in partnership with other tennis organisations to identify online threats, report abusive content, support players and escalate serious cases to law enforcement.
Udvardy’s experience highlights two major challenges facing professional tennis players: the financial pressure of competing outside the elite level and the growing difficulty of protecting themselves from online harassment.
Her decision to join OnlyFans is one way of building financial security, but her appeal for stronger protection shows that the sport still has significant work to do away from the court.