What a solid week it’s been for the Russian WTA pro Anna Kalinskaya. After her continued early round exits at the French Open in Paris and the All England Club in London, the World No. 39 has made a stellar comeback on the American hard court at the Citi Open. And boy does she have the right companion to share her joys with.

On Friday, Kalinskaya faced Clara Tauson in the quarterfinal stage of the Citi Open. The Russian bested the Danish pro in straight sets with a score line of 6-3, 7-5 under 1 hour and 35 minutes, booking a semi-final berth for herself. And to witness it live, she had brought her cute little dog, Bella. Seems like Bella couldn’t contain the excitement as Kalinskaya wrapped up the battle against Tauson. The dog was seen entering the tennis court and sprinting straight towards Kalinskaya before she picked it up gently. Can you have a better post-match celebration than that?

Even the commentators couldn’t resist applauding this wholesome scene. One of them even suggested that Bella “might have been a lucky mascot” for her Citi Open campaign. Well, if that’s true – why not? “The dog is clearly delighted”, the other commentator added. “Well he should be because that was quite a performance today from Kalinskaya.”

For those curious, it’s not the first time Bella has been spotted right after Kalinskaya’s match victory during a tournament. Back in April this year, Bella accompanied her during the Charleston Open as well. The tennis player introduced the dog while having a chat with Tennis Channel after her straight-set R32 win over Caty McNally. “It’s my baby Bella”, she said back then. To this, the host commented, “Baby Bella. Good luck charm Bella”. Kalinskaya replied, “Yes”.

However, it’s not just during the competitions that Kalinskaya likes to spend time with furry friends. Remember how she had a cozy little moment with another special dog last year?

Anna Kalinskaya is a dog person through and through

Anna Kalinskaya is a proud dog owner, and besides Bella, she has another dog named Kobe. Previously, she even celebrated National Dog Day by sharing a cute picture of herself with Kobe on X.

Last October, Kalinskaya decided to give fans a sneak peek into her life back in Russia. In a clip shared on her IG, she was seen petting an adorable dog who became the center of attention for the evening. Later, she posted a photo of her friend and the dog while playfully writing, “There are some questions… @erica3009,” while hinting at some amusing conversation.

Circling back to tennis, Kalinskaya would now like to extend her run this weekend in Washington, D.C. She’s playing at an event where her track record has been amazing. After making it to the semis in her maiden Citi Open run six years ago, she went on to enter the quarterfinals the next time she played here in 2022.

Now in her third overall appearance at the WTA 500 tournament, Kalinskaya will try to do one better and reach the summit clash. To do it, however, she will have to overcome the challenge of Emma Raducanu in the semis on Saturday. The Brit has been in stellar form this entire week. She’s bested some of the most formidable opponents like Marta Kostyuk, Naomi Osaka, and Maria Sakkari to make her way into the last four.

The upcoming face-off will mark Kalinskaya and Raducanu’s first encounter in a WTA tournament. Who do you think will secure a final spot in Washington, D.C.? Let us know in the comments below.