Maria Sakkari, Yulia Putintseva Clash in Heated Bad Homburg Open Spat

Tensions erupted between tennis stars Maria Sakkari and Yulia Putintseva following their third-round match at the Bad Homburg Open in Germany, where Sakkari won in straight sets. The heated post-match exchange began with a dismissive handshake from Putintseva, which angered Sakkari, prompting her to tell Putintseva to "act like a human being." The confrontation escalated as Putintseva responded with a profane retort, and Sakkari retorted by saying "nobody likes you," leading to intervention by the chair umpire. The incident was widely shared on social media, highlighting ongoing emotional outbursts from Putintseva, who has a history of controversial behavior on court. Despite the hostility, Sakkari expressed respect for Putintseva as a player but distanced herself personally, emphasizing her own close friendships. This spat overshadowed the match and captivated spectators with its rare intensity and public display of animosity between two top players.