No. 28 seed Anna Kalinskaya was all smiles after creating a big comeback to 12th-seeded Ekaterina Alexandrova 3-6 7-6 (5) 6-1, and now she is hoping to clinch another big triumph when she takes on Iga Swiatek in the Cincinnati quarterfinal.
After beating this year's Wimbledon runner-up Amanda Anisimova in the third round, Kalinskaya didn't make the best of starts against Alexandrova. However, the Russian slowly worked her way back into the match and managed to force a third set after winning a tight second set through a tie-break. From that moment on, everything became easier for the No. 28 seed, who collected three breaks in the decider to complete her comeback.
Now, Kalinskaya is set for a second-career meeting versus Swiatek. In early 2024, the two met in the semifinal of the WTA 1000 tournament in Dubai. And it was the Russian who claimed a 6-4 6-4 upset win.
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Kalinskaya expects 'a great level match' against Swiatek
After beating Alexandrova, the 26-year-old Russian got reminded that she beat Swiatek in their first and only meeting. She showed her respect for the six-time Grand Slam champion, before joking that she had to check out for when their match was scheduled.
Im excited. I hope its going to be a great level match. I mean, Iga is such a fighter. So, we will see what is going to happen tomorrow. I have no idea what time I play. I mean, I play today (laughing) Maybe I should rest in the locker room," Kalinskaya said.
Prior to Cincinnati, Kalinskaya didn't have much success on the WTA 1000 level in 2025.
