Yulia Putintseva displayed some embarrassing behavior during her US Open match against Jasmine Paolini on Saturday, and she issued an apology after facing significant backlash.
Putintseva was dominated 6-3, 6-4 by Paolini in the third round of the US Open in Queens, N.Y. Midway through the second set, Putintseva decided to take her frustrations out on the ball girl.
A video that went viral from the match showed Putintseva standing with her arms draped at her sides as the ball girl prepared to give her a ball. When the ball girl showed Putintseva that she was about to deliver a ball, the Kazakhstani player just stood there staring.
Putintseva inexplicably let the first ball bounce off her torso and the second ball bounce off her foot. She then grabbed the third ball as fans rightfully booed her for the antics.
Ugly moment in the Putintseva vs Paolini match at the US Open.
The ball girl tries tossing the ball and Yulia watches it bounce on the ground without moving.
So many ball kids look up to these athletes. Let's try to treat them kinder.
(via @MerThomp)pic.twitter.com/WaVzNcbb6R
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) September 1, 2024
Putintseva was blasted by numerous fans and prominent members of the tennis community, including former World No. 1 Boris Becker.
“Who does Putintseva think she is … Terrible behaviour towards the ball girl!!!” Becker wrote on X.
Putintseva eventually issued an apology via social media. The 29-year-old claimed she was frustrated with herself over two missed break points in the sixth game of the second set. Putintseva said she was not paying attention.
“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 my self by 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 whats going on and who gives me the ball… All the ball kids was doing amazing as always at the open,” Putintseva wrote.
Yulia apologizes for the incident with the ball kid at the US Open:
“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 my self by not winning the game from the breakpoint and then… pic.twitter.com/pzeIIVhFls— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) September 1, 2024
That looked like a lot more than Putintseva simply not being focused. For whatever reason, it seemed like she wanted to embarrass the ball girl. The criticism of her was more than justified.
Paolini advanced to the round of 16 with her win over Putintseva and will face Karolina Muchova on Monday.
