Anna Kalinskaya recently opened up about her thoughts on competing against Iga Swiatek at the Cincinnati Open. The Russian player is gearing up to compete in the quarter-final round of the tournament.
Kalinskaya and Swiatek are once again all set to lock horns with each other in the quarterfinal round of the Cincinnati Open on August 14, 2025. Previously, the two squared off against each other in the Dubai Tennis Championships last year, where the Russian produced a dominant display, registering a straight two-set, 6-4, 6-4 win over the Pole. With this feat, Kalinskaya became the first player to defeat Swiatek in straight sets in more than 11 months.
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Shortly ahead of the eagerly awaited clash, the Russian expressed her feelings about competing against the Pole, stating that she was excited to be a part of this anticipated match. Calling the Pole a "fighter" [via The Tennis Letter], she said:
"I’m excited. I hope it’s gonna be a great level. Iga is such a fighter, so, we'll see what's gonna happen tomorrow, I have no idea what time I play. I mean, I play today. Maybe I should rest in the locker room," said Anna Kalinskaya.
The 26-year-old defeated Ekaterina Alexandrova in the third round of the Cincinnati Open.
Anna Kalinskaya made her feelings known about besting Iga Swiatek at the Dubai Championships 2024
Anna Kalinskaya delivered an incredible performance in the semi-final round of the Dubai Tennis Championships 2024, where she bested the then-World No. 1 Iga Swiatek in two straight sets. Following this impressive feat, the Russian player made her feelings known about her victory in the post-match conference, revealing that she was feeling physically better and opened up about her confidence (as quoted by tennis.com).
“I feel much better physically than I did last year, big respect to my fitness coach, who's watching now. That gives me a lot of confidence to play at the highest level," said Anna Kalinskaya.
Further talking about her strategy against Swiatek, she added:
"I know if I don’t stay calm and I don’t stay aggressive she is going to destroy me. That was my plan to stay aggressive and move her a lot. She’s unbelievable. I’m happy I had the chance to play against her.”
Anna Kalinskaya opened her 2025 season by competing at the Brisbane International, where she squared off against Ashlyn Krueger in the first round. However, unfortunately, she couldn't advance further and faced an early exit as the American claimed a 6-3, 6-3 win.
