"Got so empty with my emotions that I was not focusing": Yulia Putintseva backtracks amid ball girl US Open controversy
WTA
Yulia Putintseva has backtracked amid the controversy that surrounded her at the 2024 US Open with a ball girl which saw her gain wide spread criticism.
After falling a set and two games behind to Paolini, Putintseva let emotions get the better of her. She stood motionless when a ball girl offered her new balls. The Kazakh gestured for new balls to be thrown. But she refused to catch the first two.
These hit her body and rolled to the floor as she received wide spread boos as the ball girl returned to the sidelines with a look of disbelief. She tried to explain herself on social media that she wasn't focusing after getting deep in her emotions.
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As well as that she was more annoyed with herself for not winning the game and she lauded the work the ball kids do at the US Open amid the criticism that she has received.
"I want to apologise to her for the way I was when she was giving me the balls," she wrote on her Instagram story.
"Honestly speaking it was not about her. I was really p***ed at myself by not winning the game from the breakpoint and then got (so) empty with my emotions and deep in my thoughts that I was not focusing on what's going on and who gives me the ball. All the ball kids were doing amazing as always at the US Open."
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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