Yulia Putintseva slammed for humiliating US Open ball girl in awkward interaction
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Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva was forced to issue a public apology following her third round loss to Jasmine Paolini after she was slammed on social media for a disrespectful interaction with a U.S. Open ball girl.
Video on social media showed the awkward moment Putintseva appeared to give the ball girl a cold shoulder during the second set of the 6-3, 6-4 loss on Saturday.
Yulia Putintseva of Kazakhstan reacts during a match against Jasmine Paolini, of Italy, during the third round of the U.S. Open tennis championships on Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024 in New York City. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
A visibly frustrated Putintseva stood motionless as the ball girl tossed her two tennis balls, letting each one bounce into her before finally making an attempt to catch the third.
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The interaction immediately drew fierce boos from the crowd, and an even fiercer reaction on social media.
"Everyone should equally respect ball kids. They are also working hard. Respect," one person wrote in a post on X.
"Completely disrespectful behavior, she is a horrible role model," another added.
"You can tell a lot about a person's character by how they treat those below them," another post read.
Ben Shelton of the United States fist bumps the ball boy against Frances Tiafoe of the United States during their men's singles third round match on day five of the 2024 U.S. Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Aug. 30, 2024. (Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
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The criticism prompted Putintseva to post an apology on her own