Yulia Putintseva faces hostile reception from Turkish supporters at Australian Open
Yulia Putintseva encountered persistent jeering from Turkish fans during her post-match interview after defeating Zeynep Sonmez at the Australian Open, reports BritPanorama.
The Kazakh player, currently ranked 94th globally, secured a hard-fought 6-3 6-7(3) 6-3 victory at Kia Arena, advancing to the fourth round for the first time in 14 attempts at Melbourne Park.
Despite the hostile atmosphere, the 31-year-old seemed to embrace the situation, stating, “Honestly, there was a really crazy atmosphere here, and the guys, look at them. They are very passionate about what they are doing, and it’s very, very great to see, especially against me, because I love this kind of battle.”
Sonmez, ranked 112th, garnered strong support from the crowd, which swelled to cheers and chants as she attempted to mount a comeback. After breaking Putintseva’s serve, Sonmez took the second set in a tiebreak, forcing a decisive set. However, Putintseva regrouped, closing out the match decisively.
The contest intensified after Putintseva taunted the crowd by cupping her hand to her ear, a gesture that only intensified the booing from the vocal Turkish supporters. Following the match, she noted that some spectators were “really loud” during critical moments, which she perceived as attempts to unsettle her.
“But today I think was really a lot of disrespectful moments when they were screaming between my first and second serve. But screaming, not even. Like really loud, like, just to make me mistake,” she explained, recalling a specific disruption when a spectator coughed loudly right before she was about to strike a forehand. “I was ready to fight like until I die there,” she added, indicating her resilience against the crowd.
Putintseva is no stranger to controversy within her career. Earlier at the 2024 US Open, she faced backlash for ignoring a ball girl and has had prior altercations with fellow players, highlighting her reputation for confronting challenging environments.
Looking ahead, Putintseva is set to face Iva Jovic for a potential quarter-final berth, as both competitors strive to advance in the tournament amidst the heightened pressures of the Australian Open.
In sport, nothing quite engenders passion like a fiercely contested match with vocal crowds and intense rivalries — a reminder that the line between celebration and provocation can often blur in the heat of competition.
