(VIDEO) Yulia Putintseva embroiled in US Open ball girl controversy with loud boos in Paolini loss

Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva has been involved in an unfortunate event at the US Open. The fourth and the final Grand Slam of the year is moving towards its business end where the remaining players are currently are battling to secure the ultimate prize.

Putintseva was one of the most high-profile players whose journey in the competition came to an end on Saturday as she lost to Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in straight sets with a score of 6-4, 6-4. In a video that appeared on the social media platform X — previously known as Twitter — Putintseva can be seen misbehaving with the ball girl.

When she was about to serve, she got tossed the balls but Putintseva instead let the bounce away as the Kazakh started to be booed with venom by the crowd.

The video went viral as the fans criticised reaction of the Moscow-born star. With that result, the world number 32 ended another disappointing Grand Slam season. Despite playing in the main round of all the mega-event, Putintseva failed to qualify for the quarterfinal or beyond in any competition.

In the Australian Open, she was knocked out as she lost to Anastasia Zakharova in the first round with a score of 2-6, 6-0, 6-3. In the French Open, she was knocked out after losing in the second round to Spain’s Paula Badosa with a score of 4-6, 6-1, 7-5. At Wimbledon, Putintseva’s journey ended as she lost in the fourth round to Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko in straight sets with a score of 6-2, 6-3.

On the other hand, the result would give Paolini much-needed confidence as she will be pushing to go all the way this time after falling just short earlier in the year. She lost in the final of the Frech Open to Poland’s Iga Swiatek in straight sets with a score of 6-2, 6-1. She then lost in the final at Wimbledon to Barbora Krejcikova with a score of 6–2, 2–6, 6–4. Paolini to face Karolina Muchova in the fourth round of the competition.