Australian Open 2026: Yulia Putintseva's Rabbit Song Triumph
Yulia Putintseva's Australian Open 2026 journey was a testament to her resilience and quick thinking. With a raucous, predominantly Turkish crowd cheering for her opponent, Zeynep Sonmez, Putintseva found herself in a challenging situation. But she had a secret weapon: a catchy Russian song about rabbits.
In a display of mental fortitude, Putintseva used the song's repetitive lyrics to block out the crowd's jeers and focus on her game. She admitted this wasn't her usual coping mechanism, but it proved effective, leading her to a hard-fought 6-3, 6-7(3-7), 6-3 victory.
The 31-year-old's emotional release was evident as she celebrated her win, cupping her ear and blowing kisses to the crowd before dancing her way off the court. She described the crowd's behavior as "disrespectful," with loud screams between her serves and even a coughing man attempting to disrupt her focus.
"I think there was a lot of disrespectful moments," she said. "They were screaming between my first and second serve really loud to make me make a mistake. On a big point, a guy started coughing for my shot. I was like, 'OK, I'm not going to lose.'"
Despite the challenges, Putintseva's performance showcased her ability to thrive under pressure. She joked about her calm demeanor, contrasting it with her previous self, who might have thrown something at the crowd. This victory marked her first time reaching the Australian Open fourth round.
Sonmez, the 23-year-old Turkish qualifier, received passionate support, aiming to become the first Turkish woman to reach the fourth round at a Grand Slam in singles. However, Putintseva's role as the pantomime villain proved advantageous, as she outperformed her opponent and the partisan crowd to secure her spot in the next round.
"It's kind of funny but I was singing a Russian song about rabbits," Putintseva explained. "It has nothing to do with anything, it's just about rabbits who eat the grass. I was distracting myself with this. Usually, it's Taylor Swift, but here it has been the rabbit song. I don't know why."
Putintseva's emotional release continued as she danced to the crowd's whistling, saying, "What can you do? You just have to dance through it."
