The US Open 2024 has left us with one of the most disappointing images from the sport this year. During her third round match against Jasmine Paolini, Yulia Putintseva ignored a ball girl who was trying to toss her balls when he was timed to serve.
Crowd started booing the Kazakh, who was also reprimanded by tennis legend Boris Beacker on X. “Who does Putintseva think she is… Terrible behaviour towards the ball girl!!!” the Wimbledon champion and former World No. 1 wrote, reacting to a video of the moment which has gone viral on the platform.
Putintseva, who lost the match 6-3, 6-4, had nine break-point opportunities throughout the match, but she could only convert two. The 32nd seed at the tournament issued an apology on her Instagram story, in which she explained her actions toward the ball girl.
“I want to apologize for the ball girl for the way I was, when she was giving me balls,” she wrote. She explained that her reaction didn’t have to do with the girl, who kept doing her work as a professional, but instead she was “pissed” at herself, and “got empty” and “deep” in her thoughts, “not even focusing on what was going on.”
Ugly moment in the Putintseva vs Paolini match at the US Open. The ball girl tries tossing the ball and Yulia watches it bounce on the ground without moving. So many ball kids look up to these athletes. Let's try to treat them kinder. (via @MerThomp)
“All the ball kids were doing amazing as always at the Open,” she concluded. While Putintseva, whose best result in New York is reaching the quarterfinals, said goodbye to the US Open, Paolini has advanced to the second week of a Grand Slam one more time.
Paolini joins Coco Gauff in this incredible feat in 2024
After her win against Putintseva, Jasmine Paolini joined Coco Gauff as the only two women to reach the 4th round of all 4 Grand Slams this season. She will face Karolina Muchova in the Round of 16.
Meanwhile, Gauff will play against fellow American Emma Navarro. They have played each other two times with a win for each. Their last match took place in Wimbledon early this year, with Navarro winning comfortably with a 6-4, 6-3.
