WATCH: Controversy erupts as Anna Kalinskaya complains about disruptive ‘drunk’ fans to chair umpire at Cincinnati Open

Anna Kalinskaya cut a frustrated figure during her fourth-round match against compatriot Ekaterina Alexandrova at the ongoing 2025 Cincinnati Open. Kalinskaya’s frustrations stemmed from the disruptive behavior of some fans on the P&G Center Court of the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Cincinnati. She subsequently complained about the situation to the chair umpre.

On the night of Wednesday, August 13, Kalinskaya, the No. 28 seed in the women’s singles main draw of the WTA 1000 tournament in Cincinnati, locked horns with No. 12 seed Alexandrova. During a stoppage in play, the 26-year-old Russian approached the chair umpire to voice her complaint, alleging that the fans causing the repeated disruptions were drunk.

The umpire, in response, told Anna Kalinskaya that the fans were “probably” inebriated. Watch the controversial 2025 Cincinnati Open moment unfold below:

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At the time of writing, Alexandrova won the first set 6-3, but her compatriot squared things up by clinching the second set 7-6(5).

This wasn't the first time Kalinskaya was involved in a heated exchange with a chair umpire. A much more significant incident featuring the Russian took place at last year's US Open.

Anna Kalinskaya's US Open 2024 protests went in vain after controversial double bounce decision

At the 2024 US Open, Anna Kalinskaya faced Beatriz Haddad Maia in the third round. The Russian established a 2-0 first-set lead against the Brazilian, but here, a controversial decision made by the chair umpire left her shellshocked.

The decision stemmed from Haddad Maia returning a shot on a double bounce. The point was eventually awarded to the Brazilian. An irate Kalinskaya asked for a video review with VAR technology, which confirmed the double bounce, but bizarrely, the chair umpire dismissed the evidence and stood by her decision to give the point to Haddad Maia.

Stunned by the umpire's stance, a mentally-affected Kalinskaya went on to lose the match 3-6, 1-6. In the aftermath of the controversial call, Rennae Stubbs, a former doubles No. 1 and Serena Williams' ex-coach, took to X (formerly Twitter) and lashed out at the chair umpire, writing:

"Absolutely horrible! How do u NOT get that right"

Stubbs added in a separate post:

"How the hell do you get that wrong on Armstrong WITH VAR!!! What the hell is the umpire looking at!!!! Omggggg!!!!! Wowza! You have VAR and u still get it wrong! I’m shook!"

Anna Kalinskaya is currently ranked 34th in the WTA Tour's singles rankings and is fighting to be seeded at this year's US Open.

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Sudipto Pati

Sudipto is a Tennis journalist at Sportskeeda holding a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication. He has an experience of 3+ years across the market research, travel, health, lifestyle and sports sectors.

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