Maria Sakkari and Yulia Putintseva’s post-match tension boiled over in a fiery exchange at the Bad Homburg Open. After a grueling two-hour and 25-minute battle that saw Sakkari edge out Putintseva 7-5, 7-6(6), the usual handshake turned into a flashpoint of drama.
Putintseva, visibly frustrated after the loss, offered a quick, cold slap of the hand and avoided eye contact. Sakkari, clearly unimpressed, responded with words that sparked a heated confrontation. The Greek player crossed the net to confront her opponent, urging her to “be like a human being” and insisting that a proper handshake involves looking someone in the eye.
The tension escalated when Putintseva responded with a sarcastic bow, prompting Sakkari to double back and continue the exchange. On-court microphones caught Sakkari saying, “nobody likes you,” before she finally walked away.
Even after the match, the friction lingered. In her on-court interview, Sakkari said she didn’t expect to be invited to dinner by Putintseva anytime soon and that she was content spending time with her real friends.
This clash wasn’t just about a handshake—it was a raw moment that revealed the emotional intensity simmering beneath the surface of elite competition.
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Maria Sakkari in 2025
Currently ranked no.86, Maria played her last match on the 1st of January 1970 when she defeated world no.27 Yulia Putintseva 7-5 7-6(6) in the 1st round in Bad Homburg (draw).
At present, during this year Maria owns a composed 15-18 record.