Yulia Putintseva Apologizes for Rude Behavior Toward Ball Girl at US Open

Tennis star Yulia Putintseva is apologizing after an exchange with a ball girl during her US Open match drew criticism from fans for her “terrible behavior.”

On Saturday, Aug. 31, Putintseva, 29, grew frustrated with herself during her third round match at the New York City tournament as her opponent, Jasmine Paolini of Italy, won another game. When a ball girl went to give her balls to serve, Putintseva refused to react, watching listlessly as the ball girl tossed three balls her way, as seen in a video shared on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Putintseva waited until all the balls came her way before finally scooping one up to continue the match — however the damage was done and she was met with instant booing from the crowd. She went on to lose the match 6-3, 6-4.

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She was roundly criticized on social media, including by former US Open and six-time Grand Slam champion Boris Becker.

“Who does Putintseva think she is … Terrible behaviour towards the ball girl !!!” he wrote on X.

Following the incident, Putintseva took to her Instagram Stories to apologize for her actions, citing frustration as the source of her behavior, per Sky News.

“I want to apologize to the ball girl for the way I was, when she was giving me balls,” she wrote.

“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,” Putintseva added.

She also noted that “all the ball kids were doing amazing as always at the open.”

The 2024 US Open is currently taking place in New York City through Sunday, Sept. 8.