Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Removal Over Political Shouting at Wimbledon
Yulia Putintseva requested a spectator's removal at Wimbledon due to political shouting, highlighting security concerns during her match.



World number 33 Yulia Putintseva has brought attention to a security incident during her first-round defeat at Wimbledon. The 30-year-old Russian-born Kazakhstani player described a male spectator as "crazy" and "dangerous," and expressed concerns over his political comments.
During her match against Amanda Anisimova, Putintseva reported the fan to the umpire, stating, "maybe he has a knife." She later explained to BBC Sport, "I said it because the guy was saying something crazy. I feel like those people might be crazy, maybe not. Maybe it's just my point of view. But I was just saying 'just take him out.'"
Putintseva emphasized that she is not involved in politics and did not want any political discourse during her match. "He was actually talking about, like, political stuff. And I'm really outside of the political so I don't want anyone on my match, when they are coming to see tennis, saying anything political," she added.
The chair umpire addressed the issue with security, and the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) confirmed that the matter was "dealt with." The club's operations manager assured that all security protocols were followed. The spectator reportedly left the stands voluntarily.
Reflecting on the incident, Putintseva noted the importance of security in today's world. "I just think that people nowadays are acting too crazy about many things, and yeah, I think the security just have to be prepared. Even [a] normal person can be dangerous at some point when they are struggling with something. So I think it's just important to have security around," she concluded.