Anhelina Kalinina saw off Veronika Kudermetova to reach her first WTA 1000 final where she could face Elena Rybakina at the Rome Open.
But behind Kalinina's win is a more harrowing story as told last year during Wimbledon as war continued to break out.
She spoke in an interview as per Tennis Majors about her parents home being attacked and left to be rebuilt. As well as saying in the same interview that she is helping not only her family but her nation.
“Their house was attacked. There are huge holes in the house, like huge holes. There are no apartments anymore. So now this home is getting rebuilt, so they can’t live there. So they live in my apartment where I’m living with my husband. It’s a very small apartment for my family, because, like, my mum, my dad, my brother, and they have pets," she said to Tennis Majors.
"So they are so happy and we are grateful that they can move, you know, that they have place to move from Irpin city because Irpin city, everyone knows how Bucha, Irpin, is fully bombed.
“I’m not only helping my family, I’m helping other people. It’s not a pressure, it’s a privilege to play here. It’s a privilege to play every tournament. You go further. You earn more money. Then I’m able to help. So for me that matters," she continued.
Anhelina Kalinina’s parents’ home was attacked: “Their house was attacked. There are huge holes in the house. There are no apartments anymore. Now this home is getting rebuilt so they can’t live there. They live in my apartment where I live with my husband, brother, & their pets”
