Remember the DC Open semi-final clash? Emma Raducanu, riding high after a solid European swing, looked poised to rekindle her 2021 US Open magic, but Russian ace Anna Kalinskaya slammed that door shut. Though Kalinskaya later faltered in the final, the run fueled her confidence heading into the Canadian Masters. But now, as the National Bank Open enters its R32, disaster strikes. Kalinskaya finds herself in agony, struck by a horrific injury mid-match, raising alarm bells and casting serious doubt over her future in the tournament. The spotlight now shifts from her form to her fitness.

Anna Kalinskaya is now locked in a fierce battle against Ukrainian warrior Elina Svitolina for a Round of 16 spot. But after dropping the first set 6-1, trouble struck. Kalinskaya called for a medical timeout, nursing that nagging left knee injury she carried from her opener against Li. With momentum slipping, the pain paints a grim picture.

[Update] The curtain fell early for Anna Kalinskaya at the Canadian Open, as the Russian star bowed out in straight sets, 6-1, 6-1, against 10th seed Elina Svitolina. The knee injury that haunted her in the first round resurfaced viciously, and this time, it left no room for heroics. The limp was visible, the struggle real, and her campaign ended in quiet pain.

But this wasn’t Kalinskaya’s first brutal brush with a physical setback. Throughout her career, she has battled a revolving door of injuries and illnesses. Yet, against all odds, she stormed into the top 15 in 2024, with a career-defining run to the Australian Open quarter-finals and multiple finals marking her resurgence.

Earlier this year in Singapore, she was forced to retire during the final at the Kallang Tennis Hub. Facing American Ann Li, Kalinskaya, then the top seed, was trailing 7-6(2), 1-0 when her body once again gave out. Ranked No. 14 at the time, it was a bitter reminder that success often came with a price.

The script didn’t get kinder. Kalinskaya withdrew from the Merida Open Akron after entering late with a wildcard. Illness, not injury, was the culprit, just like in Adelaide, where she retired against Belinda Bencic. She didn’t even make the trip to Melbourne for the Australian Open, sidelined before the first serve by an unexplained illness reminiscent of Elena Rybakina’s recurring mystery absences.

Despite the heartbreak in Toronto, the journey doesn’t end here. Hope still flickers for Cincinnati and the US Open. If the injury isn’t deep and she finds strength, perhaps with the comforting presence of her pets by her side, Anna Kalinskaya may yet rise again, hungry for redemption and ready to write the next chapter of her comeback story.

Anna Kalinskaya celebrates her Citi Open success with her special mascot

Despite falling short in the Citi Open final, Anna Kalinskaya carved out a spectacular run in Washington, D.C., winning every match in straight sets until the championship clash. One unforgettable highlight came during her quarterfinal duel against Clara Tauson. The Russian dispatched the Danish rising star 6-3, 7-5 in just under an hour and 35 minutes, securing her place in the semis. But the real magic happened right after the final point.

As Kalinskaya sealed the win, her adorable dog Bella, watching courtside, couldn’t hold back. In a heartwarming scene, Bella dashed across the court straight into her owner’s arms. Kalinskaya scooped her up with a warm smile. Can there be a better post-match celebration than that? Pure, unfiltered joy.

Even the commentators were smitten. One couldn’t help but quip that Bella “might have been a lucky mascot” during Kalinskaya’s Citi Open campaign. Another chimed in, “The dog is clearly delighted.” He added, “Well he should be because that was quite a performance today from Kalinskaya.”

Bella’s not new to the spotlight either. In April at the Charleston Open, she made another star appearance. After a dominant straight-sets R32 win over Caty McNally, Kalinskaya introduced her pup to the Tennis Channel crew. “It’s my baby Bella,” she said proudly. “Baby Bella. Good luck charm Bella,” the host replied. Kalinskaya smiled, “Yes.”

Off the court, Kalinskaya shares her love for pets openly. Alongside Bella, she has another furry companion named Kobe. She even marked National Dog Day by posting a sweet photo with Kobe on X, because champions have soft spots too.

Now, with her Canadian Open run cut short, all eyes turn to Cincinnati. With her form teetering but her spirit undeterred, can Kalinskaya dig deep once more and charge into the US Open with Bella and Kobe cheering from the wings? The story’s far from over.