Putintseva asks umpire to eject spectator over safety fear

During her first-round match at Wimbledon, world number 33 Yulia Putintseva asked for a spectator to be ejected because she had security concerns.

The 30-year-old immediately complained to the umpire about a spectator she described as “crazy” and “dangerous” during her match against Amanda Anisimova on court 15.

The issue has been resolved, according to a club spokesperson.

Putintseva, from Kazakhstan, first expressed her concerns during a change of ends when the game was tied 3-3.

I won’t play until he leaves, so can you take him out? These people are crazy, she said, and dangerous.

The person was later identified as wearing green and pointed her way into a section of the crowd.

Three members of the security staff were speaking with the chair umpire as they entered the court.

Putintseva was allegedly told that the play would resume, but she was later told that she would wait until security had handled it.

She urged people to take him out because they might have knives.

Later in the match, Putintseva became upset, going down 6-0, 6-0, in 45 minutes.

After that, she avoided speaking with the media.

The All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) spokesman told BBC Sport: “The chair umpire informed security and the issue was resolved.

Meanwhile, Anisimova claimed to believe the audience was speaking to him “when Putintseva] was about to serve” and that “we were protected” when she told the BBC.