Anna Kalinskaya walked off the court at 2:40 a.m., exhausted from her rain-delayed victory over Ekaterina Alexandrova. Less than seven hours later, she discovered her quarterfinal against Iga Świątek was scheduled for 11 a.m. That scheduling decision has sparked a controversy that’s dividing tennis fans and raising questions about player treatment at tournaments.
Why Is Anna Kalinskaya Frustrated With Tournament Scheduling?
The quick turnaround from her late-night victory to an 11 a.m. quarterfinal start time prompted Kalinskaya to voice her displeasure publicly. She took to Instagram to express her frustration with what she sees as unfair treatment.
“How can the @wta and tournament expect athletes to perform their best when the scheduling is this unfair?” she wrote in her Instagram story.
The Russian player detailed the impact of the compressed schedule on her recovery routine. “After my match against Alexandrova, I got home from the site at 2:40 a.m. and didn’t go to bed until 4 a.m. I slept a bit and came to the site to practice. Then I get scheduled at 11 a.m. for tomorrow’s match. How does the tournament and WTA expect me to recover and continuously adjust my sleep pattern, which is one of the most important aspects of recovery? Seems a bit one sided.”
The controversy has split tennis fans on social media, with reactions ranging from dismissive to sympathetic.
One fan wrote, “The only part she’s right is about the late end of her match, both ATP and WTA shouldn’t allow a match to start after 10 p.m. But scheduled at 11 a.m. after a day off shouldn’t be an issue.”
The only part she’s right is about the late end of her match, bot atp and wta shouldn’t allow a match to start after 10pm
But scheduled at 11am after a day off shouldn’t be an issue
— SmashUp (@SmashUpTennis) August 14, 2025
Another added, “She had a full day off today, so what is her issue with playing at 11 a.m. tomorrow?”
She had a full day off today, so what is her issue with playing at 11am tomorrow?
— Jason Englisbe (@EnglisbeGOT) August 15, 2025
One fan pointed to the standard tournament scheduling and wrote: “They are playing the first match because the girls from the lower part of the draw played today, so they will definitely play tomorrow in the evening session, nothing complicated, it’s always like that.”
They are playing the first match because the girls from the lower part of the draw played today, so they will definitely play tomorrow in the evening session, nothing complicated, it’s always like that
— James (@Laurforest) August 14, 2025
One bluntly remarked, “‘Seems a bit one sided’ girl what are you talking about.”
However, supporters of Kalinskaya found merit in her concerns. “I mean why did Iga and Kalinskaya play at such wildly different times yesterday? Because after a day of rest I don’t think it’s that big a deal to be first on especially with the girlies from today also playing tomorrow but they should’ve given Iga and Anna a similar recovery time I guess,” one wrote.
Another noted the difficulty of balancing big matches across sessions: “It’s just unfortunate because all the QFs are tomorrow which includes the players that played today, and I don’t know if they would want to schedule a big match like Sabalenka-Rybakina at 11 a.m.”
Others felt she may be pointing toward a deeper issue: “If she’s complaining about certain players getting to choose their preferred times in order to get more rest for the QFs, I totally get her.”
How Did Kalinskaya Reach Her First Cincinnati Open Quarterfinal?
Kalinskaya has enjoyed a breakthrough run at her fourth Cincinnati Open appearance. The 28th seed received a bye into the second round before taking down a series of tough opponents to reach her first quarterfinal in Ohio.
Her path included victories over home favorite Peyton Stearns, fifth seed Amanda Anisimova, and compatriot Alexandrova. The win over Alexandrova proved especially grueling, requiring a comeback from a set down and extending well past midnight due to rain delays.
Kalinskaya Quarterfinals
Anna Kalinskaya regroups to fight past Alexandrova 3-6, 7-6(5), 6-1!#CincyTennis pic.twitter.com/HUk20bsW4D
— wta (@WTA) August 14, 2025
The quarterfinal sets up an intriguing rematch with Świątek. Kalinskaya upset the Polish star in straight sets during the semifinals of the 2024 Dubai Tennis Championships, proving she can handle the pressure against top competition.
