Tennis star Anna Kalinskaya has said she has to leave countless footballers on read in her DMs now she’s dating world No. 1 Jannik Sinner.
Kalinskaya, who’s risen 17th in the WTA rankings, grew close to Sinner earlier this year. The pair went public on their relationship at the French Open when he told reporters: “I don’t like to talk about my private life much, but yes, Anna and I are dating.”
But it seems some eager football players haven’t caught wind of their romance yet, as they’ve been trying their luck by sliding into Kalinskaya’s DMs. While at the Berlin Ladies Open, she was quizzed about her life away from the court.
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When asked who the most famous person to message her online is, she responded: “I don’t know, probably some football player, so I’m not gonna…. I don’t know, too many football players. So, I didn’t reply.”
While that may seem random, her older brother Nikolay, 30, is a professional footballer in their native Russia, playing in midfield for FC Pari Nizhny Novgorod in their Premier League, reports the Mirror.
Kalinskaya, meanwhile, stormed to the final in Berlin last week, her first-ever on grass. She ultimately lost to billionaire heiress Jessica Pegula in a nail-biting 7-6, 4-6, 6-7 match, which saw several match points slip through her fingers.
(Image: Instagram/annakalinskaya78)
The 25-year-old was gracious in defeat, expressing her gratitude during the post-match press conference. “Thank you so much for coming and making the atmosphere very special. It’s been an incredible week for me. I missed playing on grass. Making the final means a lot to me,” she said.
“Losing today is upsetting but Jess congratulations to you. You’re such a fighter. It’s nice to see you back on tour. Couldn’t have wished for a better comeback. If we play like this against each other every time, I’ll be happy for both of us.
“I want to say thanks to my coach. It was a very difficult year. But we’re going strong and getting better day-by-day. Thanks to my family who always support me, doesn’t matter what time of the day or night it is.”
Kalinskaya’s sporting career has reached new heights this year, as evidenced by her progression to the quarter-finals of the Australian Open – the best performance she’s produced at a Grand Slam – while Sinner went on to win the men’s tournament. She has one WTA 250 title to her name, along with three doubles titles.
She was previously in a relationship with Nick Kyrgios, which lasted about a year before she announced their split in 2020. Italian Sinner, 22, will be reunited with her at Wimbledon next month.