There is hardly anything unachievable with the right intentions. Don’t believe it? Ask Yulia Putintseva, who has been making it to the headlines since July despite apprehension from the tennis world. A Grand Slam quarterfinalist thrice with two WTA titles, Putintseva’s recent stunt over Coco Gauff displayed her true potential. Speaking about her miraculous win over the defending champion in Cincinnati Open, Putintseva lauds her parents leaving a heartwarming story for all.

Putintseva defeated 2023 Cincinnati Open champion Coco Gauff 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 in the Round of 32. Despite her incredible performance, Putintseva’s 1.63 m height has been a constant topic of discussion. People often find her comparatively short height than other WTA stars a disadvantage in her professional career. However, Putintseva has proven them all wrong with her constant improvement. She defeated Gauff, who has a height of 1.75 m, and proved that with the right intention, nothing is unachievable.

After defeating Gauff, Putintseva sat down on Tennis Channel, where host Prakash Amritraj asked her if height had been an issue. Putintseva said, “Never.” Her parents never made her feel as though her height was her shortcoming. “I mean, since I was a little kid, you know, only I think when I was a little kid, only my parents believe in me that I was able to do well with my height, with my, because I’m small and smaller than other ones in the group. So and my father was like, you’re the best, you’re the best. You have to believe that you are the best, otherwise it’s not going to work,” she said.

Her parents’ dedication to uplift her motivated her to pursue her dreams. This Kazakhstani player received a great source of spirit from her parents’ constant cheer that fueled her hunger to do well. “I was always like putting that kind of in my head that I always have to fight. And if I fight and if I am there every point, I can do it,” she concluded.

As Putintseva found her motivation from her parents, she also found her on-court fierceness from her father. After her match against Kaja Juvan in the 2022 Italian Open, Putintseva said, “I’m like a gangster on court,” which she had known since she was a kid. This Czechia player further credited her father for this unique on-court personality. Introduced to tennis by him, Anton Putintsev, this Czechia player mentioned how her father accompanied her to the matches.

“My father would tell me, ‘Yulia, your temper on the court is too much sometimes.’ But his temper was too much sometimes, too,” she said. Putintseva also spoke about arguing with her father during her on-court endeavors. “We were both hard characters when we used to work together. But outside it was a lot of love and chill time. We actually never fought outside the court. But all the time on the court,” she concluded.

Putintseva’s strong determination is a fuelling factor for her success. After taking over the defending champion of Cincinnati, Putintseva showcased a great sign of confidence.

Yulia Putintseva is “proud” after defeating Coco Gauff in 2024 Cincinnati Open

Putintseva has been offering great potential for the future since she defeated Iga Swiatek in the Wimbledon. Following her recent win against Coco Gauff, she again proved her possibilities for the upcoming US Open. While speaking about her feelings post-victory, Putintseva said, “I’m really proud of myself, Even if the crowd was cheering for Coco, they were fair with me. These courts are so fast, you have to just play on instinct. That’s what I did.” While her opponent declined a press conference by saying, “it was not the best match for me.” 

The Kazakh player is on cloud nine at the moment and aims to solidify a sport there. Putintseva’s story is a reminder for those who feel demotivated and discouraged in pursuing their dreams. Despite her physical shortcomings, Putintseva showed that nothing is impossible if the intentions are right.

In her next match against Paula Badosa, people are expecting her to offer the same spirit she had during her match against Gauff. Is it time for another victory for Putintseva?