Anna Kalinskaya’s run at the Cincinnati Open has been overshadowed by a scheduling dispute. The 26-year-old Russian fought through a rain-delayed, late-night win over compatriot Ekaterina Alexandrova, leaving the site at 2:40 a.m. and sleeping around 4 a.m.
Hours later, she learned her quarterfinal against world No. 3 Iga Swiatek would start at 11 a.m. The quick turnaround left her angry at both the Women’s Tennis Association and the tournament.
Taking Her Frustration Public
On Instagram, Kalinskaya questioned how organizers expect players to perform well without enough recovery time. She called frequent sleep pattern changes “one of the most important aspects” of the problem.
“How can the WTA and tournament expect athletes to perform their best when the scheduling is this unfair? … Seems a bit one sided,” she wrote.
Fans reacted differently. Some saw early matches as normal. Others argued that organizers should give players similar recovery times and avoid favoring star names. Another factor here is her opponent. Swiatek is known to prefer morning matches, and some fans believe this preference influenced the decision to schedule her quarterfinal early.
Another Scheduling Dispute Last Week
Her frustration follows Alejandro Davidovich Fokina’s criticism of the ATP in Toronto. The world No. 18 complained about being given an 11 a.m. match despite most others starting at 12:30 p.m. He argued that the early slot ignored player needs, especially after recent travel.
Many players dislike morning starts because of the heat and shorter recovery, especially after late-night matches. Davidovich Fokina accused the tour of putting ticket sales and TV rights ahead of athletes.
Controversy Overshadows Success
Kalinskaya has reached her first Cincinnati quarterfinal with wins over Peyton Stearns, Amanda Anisimova, and Alexandrova. Whether the schedule affects her against Swiatek remains uncertain. But her comments, along with Davidovich Fokina’s, have fueled a broader debate about how tennis schedules impact player welfare.
Main Photo Credit: Mike Frey-USA TODAY Sports
