Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva has apologised for her ‘terrible behaviour’ towards a ball girl at the US Open. 

The 29-year-old was involved in an ugly moment during her third-round defeat to Italian Jasmine Paolini, which led to her being heavily booed by the crowd at Flushing Meadows, and criticised by the likes of Boris Becker and Piers Morgan.

Footage showed two balls being thrown towards Putintseva ahead of her next serve, only for the player to ignore them and stare back at the girl without moving her position.  

It left the youngster in an awkward position, before Putintseva caught the third ball before resuming the match when she was down 4-2 in the second set. 

In a message on social media, she wrote: ‘I want to apologize to the ball girl for the way I was, when she was giving me balls.

Yulia Putintseva ignored the ball girl’s attempts to throw the balls towards her, letting the first one hit her torso (left) while the second one bounced off her feet and rolled away (right)

Putintseva did not acknowledge the ball girl as she caught the third ball, as the young girl held her arms out almost in disbelief at what just happened

Putintseva, 29, was later slammed for her ‘terrible behaviour’ towards the ball girl

Putintseva has since taken to social media to apologise for her actions and said that she was ‘p***ed off’ with herself at the time of the match when it happened during a straight-set defeat

‘Honestly speaking it was not about her. I was really pissed at myself by not winning the game from the breakpoint and then got empty with my emotions and deep in my thoughts, that I was not even focusing on what’s going on and who gives me the ball…

‘All the ball kids were doing amazing as always at the open.’

The first ball that the young girl attempted to pass to Putintseva was ignored by the Kazakhstan player who instead let it hit her torso and bounce away.

Her second attempt at throwing the ball to the player was again ignored as it bounced off Putintseva’s feet – and the player turned her head to watch it roll away from her. 

That was when loud boos were directed at Putintseva, who caught the third ball without acknowledging the ball girl.  

Putintseva then looked to grab one of the balls which she previously ignored, as the ball girl had her arms stretched out wide.

There was no acknowledgement towards the ball girl as Putintseva returned to the baseline, and footage showed the ball girl returning to her station with a wry smile and shaking her head at what just happened. 

Former US Open champion Boris Becker has hit out at Putintseva’s behaviour on social media

Former US Open champion Becker led the criticism as he wrote on X: ‘Who does Putintseva think she is… terrible behaviour towards the ball girl.’

His tweet was in response to one which described it as an ‘ugly moment’ during the match. 

Piers Morgan also took to social media and hit out at Putintseva’s ‘disgusting arrogance’. 

Boris Becker and Piers Morgan were among the high-profile names to hit out at Putintseva

Jasmine Paolini beat the Kazakhstan player in straight sets to reach the fourth round

He wrote: ‘Disgusting arrogance by @PutintsevaYulia – the ball girl should have thrown the third one in her taunting face.’

Three-time Grand Slam doubles champion Rennae Stubbs posted: ‘The disrespect and obnoxious behaviour here is unbelievable and typical from her.’ 

Putintseva won just two more games as fifth seed Paolini cruised through to the fourth round with a 6-3, 6-4 victory.