Kazakh tennis ace Yulia Putintseva has come under fire for an exchange with a ball kid which was widely condemned in her third-round US Open loss to Jasmine Paolini.
Down a set and a break, Putintseva had just failed to get the break back in a marathon game to go 4-2 down in the second set.
Standing at the back wall between games, Putintseva was thrown balls to start her next service game, but ignored the first two thrown to her, letting them hit her on the torso.
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She dismissively caught the third, then picked up one of the other balls from the ground.
As the ball kid retreated back to her spot, she shook her head and even looked to be holding back a laugh.
The crowd in Louis Armstrong Stadium reacted to the exchange, and a chorus of boos rang out. Clearly unhappy with Putintseva's treatment of the ball kid, they turned against the Kazakh for the remainder of the match.
On X, Piers Morgan said it was a display of "disgusting arrogance", and that the ball kid should've thrown the third ball "in her taunting face".
Putintseva would comfortably hold that service game, but wouldn't get another chance to get the break back. Paolini calmly served the match out to win in straight sets 6-3, 6-4.
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On Sunday afternoon (AEST), Putintseva posted an apology to her Instagram story.
"I want to apologise to the ball girl for the way I was, when she was giving me balls," she said.
"Honestly speaking, it was not about her. I was really pissed at myself (for) not winning the game from the breakpoint, and then got (so) 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 doing amazing as ways at the Open."
Having never made it past the second round of a slam coming into 2024, Paolini has now made the second week in all four slams this year.
She made the final at both Roland-Garros and Wimbledon. She will take on Czech Karolina Muchova on Tuesday morning (AEST) for a spot in the quarters.
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