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An Australian Open match quickly became personal for Yulia Putintseva.
The Kazakh faced Turkey’s Zeynep Sonmez, who apparently had the home crowd on her side.
Much of the crowd was filled with Turkish flags for the match, but fans went home disappointed after Putintseva cruised to a 6-3, 7-6 (7-4), 6-3 victory.
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Yulia Putintseva reacts after winning her match against Zeynep Sonmez to advance to the fourth round of the Australian Open at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia on January 23, 2026. (Marc Avellino/Anadolu via Getty Images)
To boos from the crowd after the victory, Putintseva put her hand to her ear to mock the fans, leading to loud boos.
After shaking Sonmez’s hand, she then danced provocatively near his bench.
“Honestly, it was a really crazy atmosphere here. Look at them (the Turkish fans). They are very passionate about what they do. It’s very awesome to see, especially against me, because I love this kind of battle.”
While her comments about fans were good-natured, she shot fans off the field after claiming they were disrespectful.
Yulia Putintseva shows fans after winning her match against Zeynep Sonmez and advancing to the fourth round of the Australian Open at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia on January 23, 2026. (Marc Avellino/Anadolu via Getty Images)
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“What can I do? It’s just that some people have a tennis education and, unfortunately, some people don’t,” she told reporters via the New York Post. “But I’m very glad I kept my cool, because Yulia probably would have thrown something at them last year.”
Putintseva’s best world ranking is 20th, which she achieved last year. This is the furthest she has come at the Australian Open. She also reached the quarterfinals of the French Open and the US Open. She has three WTA titles to her credit.
Yulia Putintseva reacts to the crowd after winning her match against Zeynep Sonmez at the Australian Open at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia on January 23, 2026. (Marc Avellino/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Putintseva will face American Iva Jovic on Saturday.
