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An Australian Open match quickly became personal for Yulia Putintseva.
The Kazakhs went up against Zeynep Sonmez of Turkey, who seemed to have the home crowd on her side.
Much of the crowd was draped in 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. (Mark Avellino/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Following jeers from the crowd after the win, Putintseva put her hand to her ear to taunt 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 are very passionate about what they do. It’s very amazing to see, especially against me, because I love that kind of fight.”
While her comments to the fans were in good spirits, she took a shot at the fans off the pitch after claiming they had been disrespectful.
Yulia Putintseva points to fans 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. (Mark Avellino/Anadolu via Getty Images)
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“What can I do? It’s just some people are trained in tennis and unfortunately some of them aren’t,” she told reporters, via the New York Post. “But I’m very glad I kept my cool, because last year Yulia would probably throw something at them.”
Putintseva’s best world ranking is 20th, which she achieved last year. It is the furthest she has advanced at the Australian Open. She has also reached the quarterfinals of both the French Open and the US Open. She has three WTA titles behind her.
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. (Mark Avellino/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Putintseva takes on American Iva Jovic on Saturday.
