Tennis information 2025: Yulia Putintseva sprays Maria Sakkari on Instagram after altercation at Unhealthy Homburg Open forward of Wimbledon

Firebrand Kazakhstani tennis participant Yulia Putintseva has stoked the flames in her feud with Greek rival Maria Sakkari within the wake of an on-court altercation, antagonising the previous world No.3 with spicy social media exercise.

The lead-up to Wimbledon was lit up by Putintseva and Sakkari when the rivals clashed following a match on the Unhealthy Homburg Open in Germany on the weekend, which led to Sakkari telling her opponent: “No one likes you”.

Sakkari, who gained the opening-round match 7-5, 7-6(6), accused Putintseva of not trying her within the eye as they shook palms, prompting her Kazakhstani opponent to sarcastically carry out a bow.

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“Respect me like a human being,” Sakkari mentioned.

Putintseva shot again as she walked to her chair.

“I used to be being like a human being,” Putintseva mentioned. “Have a look at your self.”

Some inaudible arguing adopted with Sakkari lurking at Putintseva’s chair, earlier than Putintseva mentioned: “Simply depart me alone”.

Sakkari uttered the phrases “f—ing hell” whereas strolling away, earlier than heading again towards Putintseva after listening to one other remark.

Sakkari twice advised Putintseva: “No one likes you”.

“While you shake palms, have a look at the opposite individual within the eye,” Sakkari added.

The chair umpire finally interjected, saying: “Women, please”.

Concurrently with the umpire’s remark, Putintseva carried out one other sarcastic bow.

A number of days later, Putintseva has posted a photograph to her Instagram story accompanied by a prickly message.

“By the best way – not that I care – I shook her hand as most girls do,” Putintseva wrote.

“Clearly not in response to the ‘hugging protocol’ some males appear to observe.”

In one other slide on her Instagram story, Putintseva shared a reel posted by an account referred to as The Tennis Pulse.

In that reel, Sakkari is seen not taking a look at each Martina Trevisan and Emma Raducanu within the eye throughout handshakes on the internet.

“And the plot thickens,” Putintseva wrote, accompanied by a clown emoji.

In a post-match interview in Germany, Sakkari was requested in regards to the altercation on the internet.

“I do not suppose she’s going to ask me for dinner for the remainder of our lives,” Sakkari mentioned.

“However I do not care, to be trustworthy; I’ve superb pals.”

Throughout final yr’s US Open, Putintseva attracted backlash for disrespect she confirmed a ball lady.

Because the ball lady tried to cross balls to Putintseva, who’s now 30, the Kazakhstani did nothing however glare on the lady together with her arms by her facet, refusing to catch the balls.

“Who does Putintseva suppose she is?” German legend Boris Becker wrote on the time.

“Horrible behaviour in the direction of the ball lady.”

Former Australian star Rennae Stubbs wrote: “The disrespect and obnoxious behaviour right here is unbelievable and typical from her”.

Putintseva apologised on social media, but in addition took purpose at her critics.

“Its [sic] sort of scary the best way [the] world can choose somebody from only a 3 second video, that somebody publish from one facet, with out seeing the remainder on what was actually occurring,” Putintseva wrote.

“I used to be simply taking part in tennis and misplaced a tricky recreation, which was very shut (for my part) to show that match round. After the sport (as you possibly can see on a pic) i [sic] bought very a lot dissatisfied and was nearly crying, that i didnt [sic] do higher.”

Wimbledon’s ladies’s and males’s singles tournaments are set to start subsequent Monday.

Sakkari and Putintseva will each play singles tennis on the London main.