Kazakhstani tennis player Yulia Putintseva has addressed the controversy surrounding her behaviour towards a ball girl, which gained traction online.
During the third round of the US Open finals against Italian player Jasmine Paolini at the Louis Armstrong Stadium in New York on Saturday, Putintseva’s interaction with a ball girl became the focal point of online discussions.
A Twitter user named Meredith Thompson shared a video capturing the incident, with the caption: “@PutintsevaYulia being a grownup today when losing to @JasminePaolini at @usopen.”
The video shows Putintseva standing at the court’s edge, swinging her racket at her feet while the ball girl attempts to bounce a ball to her. Putintseva remains stationary, not catching the ball. This happens again, with Putintseva ignoring the ball as it rolls past her, leaving the ball girl waiting awkwardly. On the third attempt, Putintseva finally catches the ball and resumes play.
The video quickly sparked reactions from viewers. One user commented: “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.”
Another remarked: “Completely disrespectful behaviour, she is a horrible role model.”
A third added: “Who does Putintseva think she is …Terrible behaviour towards the ball girl !!!”
A fourth expressed: “Shame on her!!! Humiliation of a ball kid is the last thing you do on a tennis court.”
I would ban Yulia Putintseva from the US Open tennis in future. Respect and manners cost nothing 😤pic.twitter.com/lQbCjFHfNH
— TheExPro (@KindExPro) September 1, 2024
Putintseva has since issued an apology via her Instagram Stories, which has since expired. She apologised to the ball girl, explaining that her actions were not directed at her. “Honestly speaking it was not about her. I was really pissed at myself 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 what’s going on and who gives me the ball… All the ball kids were doing amazing as always at the open.”
Paolini won the match 6-3, 6-4 and advanced to the fourth round.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions asked about this news
What did Yulia Putintseva do to the ball girl?
Putintseva ignored the ball girl, letting balls roll past her, causing scrutiny online.
How did people react to Yulia Putintseva’s behavior?
Many criticized her, calling her behavior disrespectful and saying she was a poor role model.
What did Yulia Putintseva say in her apology?
She apologized, stating she was upset with herself and not focusing on the ball girl.
Who won the match between Yulia Putintseva and Jasmine Paolini?
Jasmine Paolini won the match 6-3, 6-4.
Where did the incident between Yulia Putintseva and the ball girl take place?
The incident took place at the US Open in New York.