Daily Dose of Social Media: Fans suspect Sinner-Kalinskaya breakup, Osaka cheers for Stephen Curry

Today in our Daily Dose of Social Media, we review the most important activities and entertainment from ATP and WTA players. Jannik Sinner and Anna Kalinskaya might have ended their relationship according to rumors from fans on social media after both players unfollowed each other on Instagram.

On the other hand, Casper Ruud, Holger Rune, and Grigor Dimitrov, among others, participated in a fun video showcasing their hockey skills in an interesting activity at the Canadian Open. Additionally, Alexander Zverev and Marcelo Melo faced off in an F1 simulator race.

On social media, rumors are spreading about a possible split between Jannik Sinner and Anna Kalinskaya after they unfollowed each other on Instagram. The ATP World No. 1 had confirmed their relationship just over two months ago, during the French Open, but has declined to share further details about his private life.

The couple was seen together on vacation in Italy after Wimbledon and in the days leading up to the Olympic Games. At the last minute, Sinner withdrew from Paris 2024 due to illness, and both traveled to the Canadian Masters (Kalinskaya competes in Toronto and Sinner in Montreal).

A user on X reported that Sinner and Kalinskaya unfollowed each other on Instagram, sparking rumors among fans who are already speculating about a possible end to the relationship, less than three months after Sinner publicly confirmed it.

In the midst of the Canadian Open, the ATP's social media shared a video featuring some of the stars at the Toronto Open, who set aside their rackets for a game titled "Time to put down the rackets and pick up the pucks?". In the game, they had to face a hockey challenge, aiming to score some shots into a goal while trying to hit certain targets in each corner of the goal.

The video, recorded in the days leading up to the tournament, featured players like Casper Ruud, Andrey Rublev, Sebastian Korda, Grigor Dimitrov, Tommy Paul, Arthur Fils, among others.

Marcelo Melo and Alexander Zverev faced off in an F1 simulator race for a promotional ATP video. The two players, who are close friends and have often shared vacation photos together, teamed up this time to see who could achieve the best lap time in the F1 simulator.

“I think he will win because in Formula 1 he's actually better, but when it comes to cars, it's me,” Melo said at the start of the game. “We had, of course, for me the best driver of all time, (Ayrton) Senna, so I need to honor him, you know, by driving perfectly,” he added.

“I've driven a few simulators before; I love Formula 1, I love fast cars. It's different when the competition actually starts; you're a lot more careful, but yeah, it was a great experience,” Zverev commented after the game. You can watch the video of the race between these two friends here.

The former world No. 1 has been keeping a close eye on the events at the Olympic Games, including the conclusion of the Olympic basketball tournament. Osaka participated in Paris 2024 but was defeated in the first round by Angelique Kerber (5-7, 3-6). After that, Naomi Osaka traveled to Toronto for the Canadian Open, where she made her debut with a win over Ons Jabeur but was defeated in the second round by Elise Mertens.

The 4-time Grand Slam champion is now preparing for the Cincinnati Open, which starts on Monday. Meanwhile, Osaka is not missing the final days of the Olympic Games and shared a short message on Twitter highlighting basketball player Stephen Curry.

The American player was the standout figure for Team USA, helping them come from behind against Serbia in the Olympic basketball semifinals. In the final, Curry played a crucial role in leading the USA to victory over France, securing another Olympic gold medal for the team.

Zheng Qinwen is getting ready for her participation in the upcoming WTA 1000 Cincinnati Open, marking her return to the Tour after winning the gold medal at Paris 2024. The 21-year-old Chinese player will be one of the favourites for the remainder of the season as she rides a streak of 11 consecutive victories.

With the draw now set, Zheng has a first-round bye as the 7th seed and will await the winner between Marie Bouzkova, the recent WTA 500 DC Open champion, and a player from the qualifiers.

Having skipped the Canadian Open, Zheng is finalising her preparations for her return in Cincinnati and shared a photo on her Instagram stories of her wearing a sweatshirt with the back inscription: “Medaling isn’t for everyone,” referencing her recent Olympic gold medal.