Kazakhstani tennis player Yulia Putintseva experienced a hostile reception at the Australian Open, being booed relentlessly by spectators throughout her entire post-match interview. This occurred despite her achieving a significant milestone: progressing to the fourth round of the tournament for the very first time in her career.
A Victory Overshadowed by Jeers
Instead of basking in celebration for her hard-fought 6-3, 6-7, 6-3 victory over rising Turkish star Zeynep Sonmez inside Kia Arena, Putintseva was immediately met with disapproval. The world No.94 was booed for celebrating her win with a hand to her ear, a gesture that seemed to antagonise the crowd further.
The former top-20 player, who previously made headlines for her contentious behaviour towards a ball kid at the 2024 US Open, did not retreat in the face of the adversity. Demonstrating her resilience, Putintseva responded to the jeering by dancing and twerking on the court, clearly showcasing her disregard for the negative atmosphere that had persisted throughout the gruelling two-and-a-half-hour contest.
Passionate Crowd and Disputed Etiquette
While a small group of Kazakhstani supporters cheered her on, their voices were overwhelmingly drowned out by a louder contingent, many of whom were passionate Turkish fans supporting their national hero. Sonmez had been praised earlier in the week for a selfless and compassionate response when a ball girl collapsed during one of her matches.
In her on-court interview, Putintseva remarked on the intense environment, stating, "Honestly really crazy atmosphere. The guys... look at them. They’re very passionate about what they’re doing. It’s great to see. Especially against me. Because I love this kind of battle."
However, her twerking and dancing in retort were criticised by some observers, including tennis commentator Liz Smylie, who labelled the actions as "unnecessary."
Questions Over Crowd Behaviour and Education
Putintseva also raised concerns about the conduct and understanding of the spectators, implying that some may have lacked knowledge of proper tennis etiquette. She detailed disruptive incidents during the match, saying, "Today I think there were a lot of disrespectful moments. There was a lot of screaming between my first and second serve and screaming really loud, just to make me make a mistake."
She recounted a specific moment: "In the game, I think it was 4-3, it was a big point, and I opened court very good and I take my forehand and a guy just starts coughing just for my shot. And I was like ‘OK, now I’m not going to lose’. I was ready to take it all. I was ready to fight until I die there."
Reflecting on the crowd's behaviour, Putintseva added, "What can I do? Some people have an education of tennis, and unfortunately, some of them do not."
Umpire Interventions and Player Resilience
Throughout the intense three-set match, the chair umpire was repeatedly forced to intervene, reminding the rowdy crowd to refrain from interrupting the players. The official issued a polite reminder: "Ladies and gentlemen, as a polite reminder, we do not whistle as the player is about to serve, thank you."
Despite the overwhelming hostility, Putintseva expressed gratitude for those who supported her, noting, "They’re the best, the best... it’s better to have less people but better support."
Echoes of Past Incidents and Tournament Updates
This episode recalled similar instances of player reactions to jeering fans, such as Danielle Collins slapping her backside in response to taunts during a win over Australian Destanee Aiava last year. It also followed a frosty exchange involving former world No.1 Naomi Osaka in her clash with Sorana Cirstea earlier in the tournament, for which Osaka later apologised.
In other Australian Open news, seventh seed Jasmine Paolini was knocked out by 18-year-old rising star Iva Jovic. World No.3 Coco Gauff fought back from a set down to defeat compatriot Hailey Baptiste 3-6, 6-0, 6-3. Top seeds Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev, and Aryna Sabalenka also advanced to the fourth round.
Medvedev, a former world No.1 and Australian Open finalist, staged a remarkable comeback from two sets down to defeat Fabian Marozsan in five sets: 6-7 (5-7), 4-6, 7-5, 6-0, 6-3 on Margaret Court Arena. Women’s world No.1 Sabalenka navigated a tight contest with Anastasia Potapova, winning 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (9-7).
Additionally, Australian Open officials have announced that play will resume an hour earlier on Saturday in an effort to combat the extreme heat conditions forecast for the Australia Day long weekend.
