Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva brought her Wimbledon first-round match to a dramatic pause after expressing fear over a spectator she described as “dangerous” and “crazy.” The incident occurred on Court 15 during her match against American Amanda Anisimova, with Putintseva trailing 3-0 in the first set.
Visibly distressed, the world No. 33 refused to continue playing until the individual was removed. She told the chair umpire, “Can you take him out, I am not going to continue playing until he leaves,” and added, “Maybe he has a knife and he will attack after”. The umpire consulted with security, and although it remains unclear whether the spectator was removed, play eventually resumed.
Putintseva, clearly shaken, went on to lose the match 6-0, 6-0 in just 45 minutes. She was seen covering her face and crying during a changeover late in the match.
Spectators reported that the man in question had been speaking in Russian about the war in Ukraine. Given Putintseva’s background—born in Moscow but representing Kazakhstan since 2012—the situation may have carried personal weight.
This unsettling moment adds to a turbulent stretch for Putintseva, who recently had a heated exchange with Maria Sakkari at the Bad Homburg Open. She also faced criticism last year for her behavior toward a ball girl at the U.S. Open.
The All England Club confirmed that security was alerted and the matter was addressed, though they did not specify the outcome. Amanda Anisimova later said she felt safe throughout the match and believed security had the situation under control.
This incident echoes recent concerns about player safety on tour, following similar disruptions involving Emma Raducanu and Iga Świątek earlier this year. As the sport continues to grapple with the balance between fan access and athlete security, moments like this highlight the emotional and psychological toll such encounters can have on players.
Yulia Putintseva in 2025
Ranked no.33, Yulia played her last match on the 1st of January 1970 when she surrendered to world no.12 Amanda Anisimova 6-0 6-0 in the 1st round in Wimbledon (draw).
Currently, during this season Putintseva achieved an overall 15-17 win-loss record. Yulia Putintseva’s most significant result of the present year was reaching the semifinal in Adelaide.