Yulia Putintseva’s match against Jasmine Paolini at the US Open on Saturday was marred by her troubling behavior, which quickly became a source of controversy. After suffering a 6-3, 6-4 defeat in the third round in Queens, N.Y., Putintseva’s frustrations boiled over, and unfortunately, she directed her anger at an innocent ball girl.
During the second set, a video captured a bizarre and uncomfortable moment where Putintseva, visibly upset, stood motionless as the ball girl approached her to hand over a ball.
Rather than simply accepting the ball, Putintseva allowed the first one to bounce off her torso and the second to bounce off her foot before finally grabbing the third ball, all while the crowd reacted with boos at her puzzling conduct.
The incident quickly went viral, drawing sharp criticism from tennis fans and figures within the sport. Among the voices condemning Putintseva’s actions was former World No. 1 Boris Becker, who took to social media to express his disapproval. “Who does Putintseva think she is … Terrible behavior towards the ball girl!!!” Becker wrote, echoing the sentiments of many who found the display unacceptable.
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Facing mounting backlash, the 29-year-old Kazakhstani player issued an apology via social media. In her statement, Putintseva claimed that her actions were not intended to harm the ball girl, explaining that she was deeply frustrated with herself after failing to capitalize on two break points earlier in the set. She insisted that she was so consumed by her own thoughts and disappointment that she wasn’t fully aware of her surroundings.
“I want to apologize to the ball girl for the way I was when she was giving me balls. Honestly speaking, it was not about her. I was really pissed at myself for not winning the game from the breakpoint and then got empty with my emotions and deep in my thoughts, that I was not even focusing on what’s going on and who gives me the ball… All the ball kids were doing amazing as always at the Open,” Putintseva wrote.
Despite her apology, many felt that the explanation fell short, with some interpreting the incident as an intentional attempt to embarrass the young ball girl. The criticism directed at Putintseva was seen as justified by those who believe that players must maintain a higher standard of conduct, especially towards those who help facilitate the game.
Meanwhile, Paolini advanced to the round of 16 with her victory over Putintseva and is set to face Karolina Muchova on Monday.
