'Maybe he has a knife': Wimbledon organisers reportedly not planning changes after Yulia Putintseva requests to have spectator removed
The All England Lawn Tennis Club is reportedly not planning to make changes to its safety protocols after world no.33 Yulia Putintseva asked an umpire to eject a spectator during her round one loss.
Up against the USA's Amanda Anisimova, Putintseva was down 0-3 when she went to her seat before complaining to the umpire about a crowd member.
"Can you take him out? I'm not going to continue playing until he leaves," she was heard telling the umpire on Stan Sport's broadcast.
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"These people are dangerous, they're crazy."
Putintseva then pointed to the stand behind where she was serving and said the person was wearing green.
Yulia Putintseva looks into the crowd as the umpire talks with security. Stan Sport
The umpire subsequently stepped down from his chair and addressed security before returning and calling time.
"Take him out, maybe he has a knife and he will attack after, I don't know," Putintseva said as she returned to the court.
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Anisimova won the following point.
PA news agency has since reported the AELTC is happy with its safety protocols and doesn't plan to make changes after the incident.
Putintseva went on to lose 6-0, 6-0 in just 43 minutes. Before the final game, Putintseva threw her racquet down and kept her towel over her face, appearing to wipe away tears.
A Wimbledon spokesperson said "the matter was dealt with".
Anisimova told the BBC post-match she believed the spectator was interrupting her rival as she was about to serve.
"I am sure that we were protected," she added.
The incident comes after a man accused of stalking Emma Raducanu at the Dubai Championships in February had tried to obtain tickets to Wimbledon. He was blocked by the AELTC's security system.
