Tennis fans have watched Anna Kalinskaya emerge as a rising star in 2024, but 2025 has hit her with a relentless storm. The latest chapter? A sudden withdrawal from the Merida Open that left fans and analysts reeling — and a revelation she made afterward that few expected.
🌀 A Career Interrupted
Earlier this year, Kalinskaya withdrew from the Merida Open Akron, citing illness despite entering on a wildcard. It’s become a troubling pattern: after impressive runs in 2024 (including a Dubai final), she again pulled out mid-season, fueling speculation that something deeper is at play.
This isn’t just the body failing her — her schedule is unraveling under the strain of recurring health surprises. She’s struggled to string together tournaments, often forced to abandon matches or skip events entirely because of sudden illnesses. Her ranking has slipped, her momentum doused, and her confidence shaken.
😢 What She Revealed Behind Closed Doors
After her Merida withdrawal, Kalinskaya didn’t disappear. Instead, she quietly addressed the media, admitting she’s been battling a mysterious cycle of illness — not just the usual aches and sprains. This is not a simple injury; it’s recurring, unpredictable, and draining. She called it “more than fatigue” and said it’s taken a mental toll as much as a physical one.
She also confessed that her ambition is under siege. Every time she begins to climb, she feels forced to step back. It’s a frustrating loop: build momentum, lose it, recover, try again. And through it all, she’s been squeezed by expectations — of her own, of her fans, and of those who believed she’d break through already.
⚖️ The Pressure Mounts
On top of this, Kalinskaya’s personal life has drawn attention. Her relationship with fellow top player Jannik Sinner was spotlighted, especially as his own absence from the tour — serving suspension for a doping case — complicates both their careers. The intermingling of athletic, emotional, and relational stressors is heavy.
Critics question whether she’s pushing too hard, too fast. Yet her supporters argue that the resilience she’s shown — in slumps, withdrawals, disappointments — might define her more than the wins ever could.
🌱 Can She Rebuild?
Her comeback plan is delicate. She needs time — rest, medical clarity, mental reset — before she can chase back her form. A strategic approach could begin with lower-level tournaments, gradual rebuilding, and perhaps breaking the narrative of illness through consistency.
What’s clear: Kalinskaya isn’t quitting. The silence, the withdrawals, the confessions — they’re part of a storm she’s determined to weather. When she returns — if she can unlock her health — a stronger, wiser version of herself may emerge.
