Several surprises unfolded in the Round of 16 at the WTA Doha 2026. Among them, Australian Open semifinalist Elina Svitolina suffered a straight-sets defeat to Anna Kalinskaya, who sealed a 6-4, 6-3 win in just one hour and 19 minutes. But while the result raised eyebrows, it was what happened after match point that truly grabbed attention.

As the players approached the net, Svitolina shook hands with the chair umpire – but walked past Kalinskaya without any acknowledgment. The Ukrainian star’s decision immediately sparked debate across social media. This marked their fourth career meeting, and with the win, Kalinskaya improved their head-to-head record to 1-3. However, for Svitolina, the absence of a handshake was not about rivalry; it was about sending a message, perhaps.

This is not the first time Svitolina has taken such a stance. Back in May 2024, after facing Kalinskaya at the Italian Open, the Ukrainian addressed her refusal to shake hands with Russian and Belarusian players. With the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine weighing heavily, Svitolina made it clear that her actions were intentional.

Following her victory over Kalinskaya in Rome, Svitolina thanked the Italian crowd before explaining her position during the press conference. “It’s very sad and frustrating to me that people don’t understand this. It’s an obvious thing not to shake hands when I have so many friends on the front lines fighting for Ukraine. Can you imagine them watching me compete and seeing me shake hands as if nothing had happened?” she said.

She further added, “People need to understand that sometimes you can’t separate politics from sports. They represent their country, and I represent mine in the world. In this sense, my position must be clear.”

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Her stance has remained consistent regardless of the opponent or the outcome. At the 2026 AO semifinal against Aryna Sabalenka, Svitolina once again refrained from the customary handshake after a 6-2, 6-3 loss. Sabalenka, for her part, brushed aside the situation. “I’m not focusing on that, and they’ve been doing it for so long. So like nothing. It’s their decision, and I respect that,” the Belarusian said afterward.

Not only that, but even during pre-match formalities, Sabalenka and Svitolina maintained distance, posing separately and avoiding shared photographs. In Doha, the script repeated itself.

For Elina Svitolina, the message remains unchanged. While Anna Kalinskaya celebrated a significant win to reach the quarterfinals, the post-match moment once again underscored how, for the Ukrainian, some traditions take a backseat to personal conviction.

What did Anna Kalinskaya say after her win against Elina Svitolina, though?

Anna Kalinskaya scripted one of the biggest wins of her 2026 season so far. Elina Svitolina has been in red-hot form this season, already winning the ASB Classic in January, before making an SF run at the 2026 AO.

While the post-match moment drew attention for other reasons, the Russian let her racquet do the talking before opening up about her mindset shift that made the difference. This marks Kalinskaya’s best-ever result at the Qatar Open. Before this week, she had never won a match in Doha, having exited in the first round in both 2024 and 2025. Even more telling? She was 0-3 against Svitolina and had never taken a set off the Ukrainian prior to this encounter. Now, she not only has her first win over Elina but also her first Top 10 victory of the season.

The numbers underline her dominance. Kalinskaya won 61 points compared to Svitolina’s 52 and was razor-sharp on big moments, converting 80% of her break points (4/5). Svitolina, meanwhile, managed to convert just one of her two break opportunities (50%), which ultimately wasn’t enough to swing the match her way.

After the match, Kalinskaya reflected on what changed this time around. “I’m very happy with my level. She’s (Elina Svitolina) a great player and one of the toughest for me. Big respect for her. I have a different mindset. I had to follow my plan, and it worked today, which I’m super happy about. It’s nice to have another match tomorrow in the Middle East.”

It wasn’t just the performance that meant a lot; it was the atmosphere too. With the match stretching past midnight, Kalinskaya was unsure how many fans would remain in the stands.

“I was worried there wouldn’t be a lot of people. I’m surprised. Thank you for coming and staying. Especially the kids over there,” she added, acknowledging the loyal supporters who stayed back.

With this win, Kalinskaya advances to her fourth WTA 1000 quarterfinal. Up next, she faces Karolina Muchova in what will be their fourth meeting. The Czech currently leads their head-to-head 3-0, including a 2-6, 6-2, 6-3 comeback win in the Ningbo quarterfinals back in 2024.

Can Kalinskaya carry this newfound momentum forward? Doha might just be witnessing the start of something special.