Yulia Putintseva Issues Apology Over Ball Girl Controversy at US Open

The Kazakhstani tennis player issued the apology via her Instagram page.

Aug 29, 2024; Flushing, NY, USA; Yulia Putintseva of Kazakhstan in action against Jasmine Paolini of Italy on day six of the 2024 U.S. Open tennis tournament at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Frey-USA TODAY Sports / Mike Frey-USA TODAY Sports

Third round play on Saturday during the US Open did not unfold without a touch of controversy in the women's bracket. Specifically, Kazakhstan's Yulia Putintseva came under fire for her attitude towards a ball girl during her match against Jasmine Paolini of Italy.

In the midst of a losing effort against Paolini, Putintseva was seen standing on the court and gazing into the distance as a US Open ball girl attempted to supply her with tennis balls. It seems Putintseva motioned for the ball girl to throw her the tennis balls, but let the first two just bounce off her before catching the third and picking the other two up. The ball girl seemed stunned by the sequence. The crowd interpreted this as disrespectful by Putintseva and booed her.

⚠️ Please respect the ballkids, thanks 🙏pic.twitter.com/LdYyaMGc8f

— We Are Tennis (@WeAreTennis) September 1, 2024

Putintseva would go on to lose, 6-3, 6-4 to the Italian. A few hours later, she issued a public apology for the incident via her Instagram page.

"I want to apologize to the ball girl for the way i was, when she was giving me balls," Putintseva wrote on her Instagram stories (screenshotted below). "Honestly speaking it was not about her. I was really pissed at my self by 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 whats going on and who gives me the ball... All the ball kids was doing amazing as always at the open"

Yulia Putinsteva apologizes for US Open ballgirl incident / Courtesy of Yulia Putinsteva's Instagram account

With her elimination Putintseva is done at the US Open. Paolini will play against Karolina Muchova in the round of 16 on Monday.