Boris Becker has slammed a player at the US Open for her ‘terrible behaviour’ towards a ball girl.
Yulia Putintseva’s frustration was evident during her US Open third-round defeat against Jasmine Paolini.
With the Kazakhstan player losing the first-set and going 4-2 down in the second, there was an ugly moment when a ball girl attempted to throw balls towards her before she took serve.
Putintseva stared at the ball girl blankly with her arms down by her side, making no effort to catch the balls and instead just looking at them as they rolled away from her feet.
The 29-year-old has since taken to social media to apologise for her actions, which were met with boos from the crowd at Flushing Meadows.
@PutintsevaYulia being a grownup today when losing to @JasminePaolini at @usopen. @TheTennisLetter @andyroddick @BenRothenberg @josemorgado pic.twitter.com/Ythdc8cbYV
— Meredith Thompson (@MerThomp) August 31, 2024
Yulia Putintseva ignored the ball girl’s attempts to throw the balls towards her, letting the first one hit her torso (left) while the second one bounced off her feet and rolled away (right)
Putintseva did not acknowledge the ball girl as she caught the third ball, as the young girl held her arms out almost in disbelief at what just happened
Putintseva, 29, was later slammed for her ‘terrible behaviour’ towards the ball girl
Former US Open champion Boris Becker has hit out at Putintseva’s behaviour on social media
Putintseva has since taken to social media to apologise for her actions and said that she was ‘p***ed off’ with herself at the time of the match when it happened during a straight-set defeat
Becker, who won the US Open in 1989, wrote in response to a video of the moment on social media: ‘Who does Putintseva think she is… terrible behaviour towards the ball girl.’
His tweet was in response to one which described it as an ‘ugly moment’ during the match.
Piers Morgan also took to social media and hit out at Putintseva’s ‘disgusting arrogance’.
He wrote: ‘Disgusting arrogance by @PutintsevaYulia – the ball girl should have thrown the third one in her taunting face.’
Putintseva later took to social media after her straight set defeat and wrote: ‘I want to apologise 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 p***ed off at myself for 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 was [sic] doing amazing as always at the Open.’
Three-time Grand Slam doubles champion Rennae Stubbs posted: ‘The disrespect and obnoxious behaviour here is unbelievable and typical from her.’
The first ball that the young girl attempted to pass to Putintseva was ignored by the Kazakhstan player who instead let it hit her torso and bounce away.
Boris Beckier and Piers Morgan were among the high-profile names to hit out at Putintseva
Jasmine Paolini beat the Kazakhstan player in straight sets to reach the fourth round
Her second attempt at throwing the ball to the player was again ignored as it bounced off Putintseva’s feet – and the player turned her head to watch it roll away from her.
That was when loud boos were directed at Putintseva, who caught the third ball without acknowledging the ball girl.
Putintseva then looked to grab one of the balls which she previously ignored, as the ball girl had her arms stretched out wide.
There was no acknowledgement towards the ball girl as Putintseva returned to the baseline, and footage showed the ball girl returning to her station with a wry smile and shaking her head at what just happened.
Putintseva won just two more games as fifth seed Paolini cruised through to the fourth round with a 6-3, 6-4 victory.
