Yulia Putintseva Apologizes for Disrespectful Incident with Ball Girl at US Open

Kazakhstani tennis player Yulia Putintseva has publicly apologized following her disrespectful treatment of a ball girl during her third-round match at the US Open. The incident occurred at the Louis Armstrong Stadium, where Putintseva lost to Italian fifth seed Jasmine Paolini.

During the match, frustration with her performance led Putintseva to ignore the young ball girl who was trying to assist her. Video footage captured the moment when Putintseva did not acknowledge the ball girl, allowing two balls to bounce off her body before finally picking up a third ball. This behavior drew significant criticism from the crowd, which responded with loud boos.

Prominent figures in the tennis community condemned Putintseva’s actions. Former world No. 1 Boris Becker expressed his disapproval, stating, “Who does Putintseva think she is? Terrible behaviour towards the ball girl.” Similarly, Australian tennis player Rennae Stubbs called the incident “unbelievable and typical from her.”

Notable media personalities also reacted harshly. British commentator Piers Morgan referred to Putintseva’s actions as “disgusting arrogance,” suggesting that the ball girl should have retaliated by throwing a ball back at her.

Despite the unpleasant encounter, the ball girl maintained her professionalism throughout the incident. Afterward, she was seen shaking her head in disbelief as she returned to her position on the court.

Following the match, which ended with a score of 6-3, 6-4 in favor of Paolini, Putintseva addressed the situation on her Instagram account. She expressed regret for her behavior, clarifying that her frustration was directed at her own performance rather than the ball girl. “I want to apologise to the ball girl for the way I was,” she stated. “All the ball kids were doing amazing as always at the Open.”