Tensions ran high in Bad Homburg on Sunday (June 22) following a heated exchange between Greeceās Maria Sakkari and Kazakhstanās Yulia Putintseva after their first-round match. The confrontation unfolded on center court at the Wimbledon warm-up event in Germany.
Sakkari, former World No. 3, secured a hard-fought victory with scores of 7-5, 7-6 (6), but the post-match handshake with Yulia Putintseva left much to be desired. In a moment captured by the court microphones, Sakkari remarked, āWhen you shake hands with someone, look them in the eyes.ā
Putintseva, in turn, reacted with an exaggerated curtsy, prompting Sakkari to urge her counterpart to āJust be like a human being.ā The exchange did not end there, as the two continued trading barbs, with Putintseva telling the Greek player to āgo f*** yourself.ā
In response, Sakkari repeatedly told her opponent, ānobody likes you,ā likely referring to their fellow players. Itās not the first time Putintseva has made headlines for unsportsmanlike conduct. At the US Open last year, she was heavily criticized for mistreating a ball girl.
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Sakkari attempted to downplay the incident
In an interview on court, Sakkari candidly acknowledged the strained relationship between the pair. āI donāt think sheās going to invite me for dinner for the rest of our lives, but I donāt care,ā she stated. āI have very good friends and Iāll go to dinner with them.ā
Despite the off-court tension, Sakkari maintained a professional demeanor, noting, āLet me leave it here, and just say that I have respect for her as a player, but thatās it.ā Her focus now shifts to the next round, where she will face Ekaterina Alexandrova.
Meanwhile, Putintseva and Sakkari are both set to play in Wimbledon, which starts on June 30. Last year, Sakkari lost in the fourth round to Emma Raducanu, while Putintseva reached the Round of 16, failing to Jelena Ostapenko.
