Tennis participant Yulia Putintseva issued an apology after her perspective towards a ball lady on the US Open sparked controversy this weekend.
“I wish to apologize to the ball lady for the way in which I used to be when she was giving me balls,” the Kazakhstani athlete, 29, wrote by way of Instagram Story on Saturday, August 31. “Truthfully talking it was not about her. I used to be actually pissed at myself by not successful the sport from the break level after which received empty with my feelings and deep in my ideas, that I used to be not even specializing in what’s occurring and who offers me the ball … All of the ball youngsters [were] doing superb as at all times on the Open.”
Putintseva made headlines earlier on Saturday throughout her match in opposition to Jasmine Paolini of Italy. At one level, Putintseva motioned for a ball lady to throw her new balls, however she then let two balls bounce off her physique earlier than catching a 3rd. The ball lady appeared confused by Putintseva’s response and stood immobile together with her fingers within the air earlier than operating again to the sidelines.
The gang, in the meantime, booed Putintseva as she lastly picked up the third ball and geared as much as resume play.
Putintseva, who was born in Russia, in the end misplaced the match to Paolini, 28, in straight units and is now out of the event. Paolini will subsequent face Karolina Muchova within the spherical of 16 on Monday, September 2.
Former world No. 1 tennis participant Boris Becker slammed Putintseva for her conduct after the match. “Who does Putintseva assume she is … Horrible conduct in direction of the ball lady !!!” he wrote by way of X on Sunday, September 1. (Becker, 56, gained the US Open in 1989.)
Rennae Stubbs, an Australian former tennis participant who’s now a coach, additionally referred to as out Putintseva by way of social media. “The disrespect and obnoxious conduct right here is unbelievable and typical from her,” she tweeted on Sunday.
Feliciano López, a Spanish former tennis professional who’s the director of the Madrid Open, felt that Putintseva had humiliated the ball lady. “Disgrace on her!!!,” he tweeted. “Humiliation of a ball child is the very last thing you do on a tennis court docket.”
Piers Morgan jumped into the fray as effectively, sharing a video of the incident by way of X on Sunday with the caption, “Disgusting vanity by @PutintsevaYulia – the ball
lady ought to have thrown the third one in her taunting face.”
The US Open continues by means of Sunday, September 8.