Maria Sakkari and Yulia Putintseva were involved in a heated exchange following their match at the Bad Homburg Open on Sunday. Sakkari triumphed over Putintseva with a score of 7-5, 7-6 (6), securing her spot in the next round. As they met at the net post-match, Putintseva slapped Sakkari’s hand without making eye contact, then walked towards the referee.
Sakkari appeared frustrated during the exchange, reportedly saying, “No one likes you,” which was caught in the broadcast. This moment of tension escalated, as Sakkari then approached Putintseva to further address the comments made earlier.
In her post-match interview, Sakkari downplayed the incident, stating, “I don’t think she’s going to invite me to dinner for the rest of our lives, but honestly, it doesn’t bother me.” She expressed that she has a good circle of friends to spend time with instead. Despite the conflict on the court, she acknowledged Putintseva’s skills as a player.
As Sakkari moves on to the next round, she continues to channel her focus into the tournament, particularly with Wimbledon on the horizon. Sakkari has had notable successes in her career, including reaching the third round of Wimbledon multiple times. Meanwhile, Putintseva, with three career singles titles, advanced to the fourth round at Wimbledon last year.
