Tennis star mocks jeering crowd with provocative dance after Australian Open victory
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An Australian Open match quickly turned personal for Yulia Putintseva.
The Kazakh went against Zeynep Sonmez of Turkey, who apparently had the home crowd by her side.
Much of the crowd was filled with Turkish flags for the match, but the fans went home disappointed after Putintseva earned a 6-3, 7-6 (7-4), 6-3 victory.
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Yulia Putintseva reacts after winning her match against Zeynep Sonmez and moving to the fourth round of the Australian Open at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia on Jan. 23, 2026. (Mark Avellino/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Upon jeers from the crowd following the win, Putintseva cupped her hand to her ear to mock the fans, resulting in loud boos.
After shaking hands with Sonmez, she then danced provocatively near her bench.
“Honestly, it was a really crazy atmosphere here. Look at them (Turkish fans). They’re very passionate about what they’re doing. It’s very great to see, especially against me, because I love this kind of battle.”
While her comments on the fans were in good spirits, she took a shot at the fans off the court after claiming they had been disrespectful.
Yulia Putintseva points to fans after winning her match against Zeynep Sonmez and moving to the fourth round of the Australian Open at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia on Jan. 23, 2026. (Mark Avellino/Anadolu via Getty Images)
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“What can I do? It’s just some people have education of tennis and, unfortunately, some of them not,” she told reporters, via the New York Post. “But I’m very happy that I kept my calm, because Yulia last year would probably throw something at them.”
Putintseva’s best world ranking is 20th, which she earned last year. This is the furthest she has advanced at the Australian Open. She has also reached the quarterfinals of both the French Open and the U.S. Open. She has three WTA titles to her name.
Yulia Putintseva reacts to the crowd after winning her match against Zeynep Sonmez at the Australian Open at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia on Jan. 23, 2026. (Mark Avellino/Anadolu via Getty Images)
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Putintseva will take on American Iva Jovic on Saturday.
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