This was the regrettable show of Putintseva with the Turkish audience after defeating Sonmez
Yulia Putintseva never stops creating controversy. The Kazakh tennis player once again exhibited a highly questionable and unprofessional attitude. This time, she targeted the Turkish audience, filling the stands of the Kia Arena who were supporting Zeynep Sonmez. The match was very close, and Putintseva claimed victory (6-3, 6-7(3), 6-3) in the third round of the 2026 Australian Open. However, as soon as she was crowned champion, she began provoking the Turks by repeatedly cupping her hand to her ear, blowing kisses, and ending with a dance that prompted loud boos. To top off the spectacle, during the on-court interview, she thanked the small group of Kazakhs present at the venue: "It's better to have fewer people, but better spirits."
She can't HEAR you 👂
Putintseva silences the crowd to end Sonmez's #AO26 in three sets@wwos • @espn • @tntsports • @wowowtennis • #AO26 pic.twitter.com/6OXmvEmimS— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 23, 2026
Yulia Putintseva, part 2: pic.twitter.com/pHKrJoeL9m
— José Morgado (@josemorgado) January 23, 2026
Yulia Putintseva, part 3 😅 pic.twitter.com/W0Q6f1d3r3
— José Morgado (@josemorgado) January 23, 2026
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Asà fue el lamentable show de Putintseva con el público turco tras vencer a Sonmez