Anna Kalinskaya beats Jelena Ostapenko 6-4 7-5 in Dubai. She's the 2nd player to beat her this year, after Vika. Great to see her bringing some grand slam semifinalist energy. If she stays injury-free, this could be a breakout season for her. ♥
Jelena OSTAPENKO beaten by a player other than Victoria AZARENKA as Anna KALINSKAYA continues excellent 2024 in Dubai
WTAWednesday, 21 February 2024 at 12:55
Before Wednesday, only Victoria Azarenka had defeated Jelena Ostapenko during the 2024 season. But it is Anna Kalinskaya who has broken that streak after defeating the leading Latvian who alongside Elena Rybakina leads the WTA Tour for match wins during 2024 after two titles.
Only Azarenka who defeated her in a fractious match at the Qatar Open as well as the Australian Open has handed her any sort of defeat. Kalinskaya though has been in superb form though this season after putting injury woes behind her. She reached the Quarter-Finals of the Australian Open at the start of the year coming through the open section which Qinwen Zheng benefitted from.
It was a 6-4, 7-5 win for the 25-year-old Russian who has already had to play five matches this week alone. Due to injuries, Kalinskaya slid down the rankings and so despite her run at the Australian Open, she sits on the cusp still of having to play qualifying for big tournaments.
But since reaching that point in Melbourne, she was ahead against Karolina Pliskova in Qatar before letting the lead slip. Pliskova went on to reach the semi-finals before handing the tie to eventual champion, Iga Swiatek. She was straight back into action though in attempting to qualify for this tournament and will next get Coco Gauff or Pliskova again tomorrow who play this afternoon. Also through so far includes Jasmine Paolini with Maria Sakkari continuing to struggle.
Marketa Vondrousova has had struggles in recent months, but has done anything but so far this week surging past Peyton Stearns and now Liudmila Samsonova. Elena Rybakina is currently embroiled in a battle with Magdalena Frech, while Donna Vekic leads Sorana Cirstea. For Kalinskaya though, she is through and Ostapenko's Azarenka streak comes to an end.
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