A tennis match in Germany ended in ugly scenes when an argument erupted at the net following a fixture involving former world No.3 Maria Sakkari, who told her opponent: "Nobody likes you".
In an opening-round match at the Bad Homburg Open a week out from the start of Wimbledon, Sakkari overcame Yulia Putintseva of Kazakhstan 7-5, 7-6(6).
Sakkari, who hails from Greece, then accused Putintseva of not looking her in the eye as they shook hands, prompting her Kazakhstani opponent to sarcastically perform a bow.
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"Respect me like a human being," Sakkari said.
Putintseva shot back as she walked to her chair.
"I was being like a human being," Putintseva said. "Look at yourself."
Some inaudible arguing followed with Sakkari lurking at Putintseva's chair, before Putintseva said: "Just leave me alone".
Sakkari uttered the words "f—ing hell" while walking away, before heading back toward Putintseva after hearing another comment.
Sakkari twice told Putintseva: "Nobody likes you".
"When you shake hands, look at the other person in the eye," Sakkari added.
The chair umpire eventually interjected, saying: "Ladies, please".
Simultaneously with the umpire's comment, Putintseva performed another sarcastic bow.
During last year's US Open, Putintseva attracted backlash for disrespect she showed a ball girl.
As the ball girl tried to pass balls to Putintseva, who's now 30, the Kazakhstani did nothing but glare at the girl with her arms by her side, refusing to catch the balls.
"Who does Putintseva think she is?" German legend Boris Becker wrote at the time.
"Terrible behaviour towards the ball girl."
Former Australian star Rennae Stubbs wrote: "The disrespect and obnoxious behaviour here is unbelievable and typical from her".
Putintseva apologised on social media, but also took aim at her critics.
"Its [sic] kind of scary the way [the] world can judge someone from just a 3 second video, that someone post from one side, without seeing the rest on what was really happening," Putintseva wrote.
"I was just playing tennis and lost a tough game, which was very close (in my opinion) to turn that match around. After the game (as you can see on a pic) i [sic] got very much disappointed and was almost crying, that i didnt [sic] do better."
Wimbledon's women's and men's singles tournaments are set to begin next Monday.
Sakkari and Putintseva will both play singles tennis at the London major.
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