A heated on-court confrontation erupted between two rival tennis players following a sarcastic gesture.
The tension was palpable during the first-round match at the Bad Homburg Open in Germany on Sunday, where Maria Sakkari faced off against Yulia Putintseva.
Former world No. 3 Sakkari, 29, emerged victorious from the tight encounter, winning in straight sets with a score of 7-5, 7-6.
However, the post-match handshake at the net lacked the usual display of respect and warmth. While they did briefly clasp hands, the underlying tension was clearly evident.
Putintseva, 30, notably avoided eye contact as she extended her hand, a gesture that Sakkari evidently took exception to.
The Greek player made a comment as her defeated opponent began walking towards the umpire. This instantly triggered a spectacular bust-up, with the Kazakhstani player, Putintseva, responding with a sarcastic curtsy directed at the winner.
Their war of words continued even as both players shook hands with the chair umpire.
Sakkari then walked over to Putintseva`s chair to express her feelings about the perceived petulant behaviour, and Putintseva snapped back. Courtside microphones reportedly picked up Sakkari telling Putintseva to “act like a human being.”
Putintseva is then reported to have responded with a profanity, prompting the umpire to attempt to calm the situation by saying, “Ladies, please.”
However, her rival`s comment further fueled Sakkari`s anger, who confronted Putintseva again and directly told her: “Nobody likes you.”
World No. 27 Putintseva, in a further escalation of the feud, then picked up her racquet bag and towels before performing another bow in front of Sakkari.
When questioned about the drama in her post-match on-court interview, Sakkari made light of the situation, joking: “I don`t think she`s going to invite me for dinner for the rest of our lives. But I don`t care to be honest. I have very good friends.”
The incident quickly sparked widespread discussion among tennis fans on social media, particularly as Putintseva has been involved in on-court controversies in the past.
She was notably involved in a scandal regarding her behaviour towards a ball girl at the US Open in 2024.
Reactions online were mixed, with some fans criticizing Putintseva`s antics and Sakkari`s response, while others felt the display of passion added excitement to the sport.
