Ex-ATP Pros Slam ‘Naughty’ Yulia Putintseva for Controversial On-Court Behaviour

Yulia Putintseva failed to win a title this year, with her last trophy being the 2024 Birmingham Classic.

Ex-ATP Pros Slam ‘Naughty’ Yulia Putintseva for Controversial On-Court Behaviour

Yulia Putintseva (Image via X/Billie Jean King Cup)

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Yulia Putintseva has often received criticism due to her on-court behavior. Last year, Putintseva stared back at a ball kid who tossed a couple of balls at her.

Later, she shared a public apology to the ball kid, saying she did not do it deliberately, that she was simply pissed at herself after missing two break points. Recently, former ATP player Steve Johnson, while discussing the ‘naughty or nice list’ on the Nothing Major podcast, said Putintseva deserved to be on the ‘naughty’ list because of her controversial behavior.

It’s Yulia Putintseva; she always seems to be in controversy. She got the staring at the ball kid; you don’t do anything to the ball people. Ball kids, ball adults, you’ve got to treat them fully with respect; you can’t dog those people while you’re out on the court. I don’t like that.

Steve Johnson said

Johnson’s co-host, Jack Sock, recalled her shoelace tactic. He alleged that Putintseva uses the shoeless as a tactic to disrupt the match when it reaches a crucial point.

Have you seen her shoelace stunt, by the way? When she’s losing, she always packs shoelaces, puts them in her bag. Whenever it’s a pivotal time in the match, she’ll slide to the ball and immediately say she ripped the shoelace on her thing. It’s a tactic, takes minutes on minutes, changes the shoelace, and the other girl is always freaked out. It’s a full thing, naughty.

Jack Sock added

Men’s World No.1 Carlos Alcaraz won the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award for the second time in his career. Last year, Tunisia’s Minister of Happiness, Ons Jabeur, was given the Karen Krantzcke Sportsmanship Award for the third time.

Putintseva featured in just two Grand Slam events. At the Australian Open and the French Open, she made the third round. She finished the season with a 25-27 win-loss record with no title. Because of her performance, she dropped out of the top 50 and currently occupies the No.71 spot.

The 30-year-old was last seen in action at the Jiangxi Open, where she reached the quarterfinals but fell in straight sets against Viktorija Golubic. The three-time Grand Slam singles quarterfinalist last lifted a title at the 2024 Birmingham Classic by defeating Ajla Tomljanovic.

Steve Johnson recalls his first meeting with Rafael Nadal

During the latest episode of the Nothing Major podcast, Steve Johnson recalled the time he first locked horns with Rafael Nadal. Johnson clashed with the 22-time Grand Slam champion just once – in the third round of the 2015 Madrid Open, where he lost the match with a 6-4, 6-3 scoreline.

Rafael Nadal Washington Open 2021
Rafael Nadal (image via X/Australian Open)

That year, and it’s like I mean, you know exactly what you’re walking into, and you still have no idea what you’re walking into in a certain sense. You know what I mean? You know that he’s going to do his idiosyncrasies, his rituals, all this stuff, and you know, you get ready for it, and he still finds a way to just bully you around the court.

Steve Johnson said

The 39-year-old called time on his career at the 2024 Davis Cup Finals after Spain lost their quarterfinal tie against the Netherlands 2-0. The last title that Nadal won was the 2022 French Open, while the last time he played a final was at the Swedish Open last year, where Nuno Borges denied him the win.

Nadal was the second member of the Big 3 to hang up his racket, following 20-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer. The Swiss maestro wants to play an exhibition event with Nadal and could plan a Fedal Tour.

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