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Yulia Putintseva, a prominent tennis player, spoke out on Monday following her disagreement with Maria Sakkari at the Bad Homburg Open, which quickly gained traction on social media over the weekend.
During their match, which Sakkari won 7-5, 7-6 (6), Sakkari seemed displeased with how Putintseva shook her hand afterward. The broadcast captured Sakkari walking towards Putintseva to speak with her, where she was heard saying, “nobody likes you” and mentioned that Putintseva should maintain eye contact during a handshake.
Yulia Putintseva from Kazakhstan celebrates her victory over Coco Gauff from the USA on day four of the Cincinnati Open on August 15, 2024. (Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports)
Putintseva shared the video on her Instagram on Monday, adding her comments.
“Just so you know – not that it matters to me – I shook her hand like most women do,” Putintseva stated. “Clearly not in line with the ‘hugging protocol’ some men seem to prefer.”
The situation escalated when Putintseva lightly slapped Sakkari’s hand after losing the match. This led to Sakkari and Putintseva exchanging words, with Putintseva responding by curtsying, which intensified the confrontation.
TENNIS PLAYER CALLS OPPONENT ‘LITTLE PIG’ AND ‘PIECE OF S—‘ AFTER LOSING HEATED MATCH IN GERMANY
Yulia Putintseva reacts after missing a shot against Jelena Ostapenko during the singles event on day eight of The Championships Wimbledon 2024 at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London on July 8, 2024. (Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports)
Sakkari later commented on the incident during her post-match interview after Putintseva headed to the locker room.
“I don’t think she’ll be inviting me for dinner anytime soon, but I honestly don’t care,” she mentioned, according to Tennis.com. “I have great friends to dine with. I’ll leave it at that and just say I respect her as a player, that’s all.”
Sakkari is scheduled to compete against Ekaterina Alexandrova in the Round of 16 of this tournament.
Maria Sakkari celebrates a point against Coco Gauff on day five of the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on March 22, 2025. (Geoff Burke-Imagn Images)
Looking ahead, all eyes will be on the next Grand Slam event – Wimbledon, happening next month.
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