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Yulia Putintseva was booed nonstop after beating qualifier Zeynep Sonmez to reach the second week of the Australian Open. The Turkish fans packed out the Kia Arena to cheer Sonmez on as the world No. 112 attempted to pull off a comeback against the Kazakh. Puntintseva served for the match in the second set, but Sonmez broke back and won the tiebreak to force a decider.

In the end, it was world No. 94 Putintseva who recovered to clinch a 6-3 6-7(3) 6-3 in front of Sonmez's vocal supporters. The Kazakh riled them up even more when she repeatedly touched her hand to her ear after sending the qualifier out of the tournament, and the fans inside the Kia Arena responded by booing during her entire on-court interview.

But the 31-year-old wasn't bothered by their response, and instead enjoyed competing and speaking in the hostile environment. "Honestly, there was a really crazy atmosphere here and the guys, look at them. They are very passionate about what they are doing, and it's very, very great to see, especially against me, because I love this kind of battle," she told them.

This is the first time Putintseva has reached the second week of the Australian Open in her 14 appearances here. But she wanted to live in the moment. "I mean right now I don't want to even think about it. I'm here, I'm enjoying my moment, and I'm very happy with that," she added.

The former world No. 20 still had some loyal supporters in the crowd, who had been waving Kazakh flags. Addressing her fans, she said: "Yes, they are the best, the best! You know, it is better to have less people, but better support. Thank you guys!"

She later called out Sonmez's fans for being disrespectful in the "important moments". Puntintseva explained: "I mean, there is always, like, someone in favour and someone to cheer for. That's what's great about the sport.

"But today I think was really a lot of disrespectful moments when they were screaming between my first and second serve. But screaming, not even. Like really loud, like, just to make me mistake.

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"In the game, I think it was 4-3, was a big point, and, like, I opened court very good. I take my forehand, the guy just started, like, coughing just for my shot. I was like, okay, now, I'm not going to lose. Like, really. I was ready to take it all, but I was ready to fight like until I die there. And, I mean, what can I do? It's just some people have education of tennis and, unfortunately, some of them not."

Putintseva is no stranger to controversy. She was forced to apologise for ignoring a ball girl at the 2024 US Open, and has also traded words with Maria Sakkari in the past. But the 31-year-old often thrives in difficult environments, and that's been no different here in Melbourne.

The world No. 94 also faced a hostile crowd during her first-round match against Beatriz Haddad Maia, who attracts hordes of Brazilian fans to the stands wherever she goes. Putintseva beat Haddad Maia 3-6 7-5 6-3 on the 'party court', Court 6, which has a bar built into the stands, and egged on the fans by waving her arms in the air and bowing to them.

Puntintseva will now face either No. 7 seed Jasmine Paolini or teenage star Iva Jovic as she hunts a spot in the quarter-finals. And who knows, maybe the Aussie Open fans will be on her side in her next match.