The 2025 Australian Open is now just days away as fans prepare for another thrilling tournament down under.
There is no better way to kick off the Grand Slam campaign than with a visit to Australia, as the top stars on the WTA Tour ready themselves for a big performance in Melbourne.
Aryna Sabalenka won the 2024 Australian Open, defending her title from the year before as she took down China’s Qinwen Zheng in the final.
World number two Iga Swiatek suffered an early exit in Australia, as she lost to Linda Noskova in the third round.
American superstar Coco Gauff reached the semi-finals before she lost to Sabalenka in straight sets, in her best Australian Open performance to date.
It won’t just be the top three who will be looking to take home the Australian Open title, however, as several stars aim to cause a big upset at the first Slam of the season.
One of those stars, who has already secured plenty of big wins in her career to date, has just suffered a massive setback ahead of the tournament.
Anna Kalinskaya suffers injury in Adelaide ahead of the 2025 Australian Open
During her round of 32 match at the Adelaide International, Anna Kalinskaya retired against Belinda Bencic due to injury.
The world number 14 struggled throughout the first set, losing 6-2, before retiring just one game into the second.
The Russian star struggled with several injuries in 2024, which saw her retire from tournaments during the best year of her career.
- Miami Open – withdrew ahead of her quarter-final match against Maria Sakkari due to injury
- Wimbledon – retired during her fourth-round match against Elena Rybakina due to injury
- Canadian Open – retired during her third-round match against Amanda Anisimova due to injury
Her victorious opponent, Bencic, wished her a speedy recovery after securing her place in the Adelaide last 16.
“I wish Anna [Kalinskaya] all the best,” she said.
“Hopefully she’s ready for the Australian Open.
“It’s not the way I wanted to win, but I felt good out there.”
How did Anna Kalinskaya beat Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, and Coco Gauff in 2024?
A fully fit Kalinskaya may not have been a favorite for the Australian Open, but she proved in 2024 that she can compete with the very best on the WTA Tour.
The Russian scored seven top ten wins last year, the most in her career to date, but perhaps more importantly, beat the current world number one, two, and three.
Anna Kalinskaya beats Coco Gauff [3] – Dubai WTA 1000 QF
Kalinskaya had already secured a top-ten win in Dubai when she took down Jelena Ostapenko in the third round, but a match-up against Gauff looked to be a far more formidable task.
Things didn’t start brilliantly for the now 26-year-old, as she lost the first set 6-2, before battling back to take the second 6-4.
With a place in her first career WTA 1000 semi-final on the line, Kalinskaya won the third set 6-2, scoring her first win against a top-five opponent.
Anna Kalinskaya beats Iga Swiatek [2] – Dubai WTA 1000 SF
She may now have fallen to world number two, but when Kalinskaya played Swiatek in 2024, she was up against the premier player on the WTA Tour.
The odds were stacked against the Russian star but she produced a stunning display to book her place in the Dubai final with a 6-4, 6-4 win.
She came close to securing a WTA 1000 title for the first time in her career as she took the first set off Jasmine Paolini in the final, before eventually coming up just short, losing 6-4, 5-7, 5-7.
Anna Kalinskaya beats Aryna Sabalenka [1] – Berlin Open QF
Current world number one Sabalenka didn’t have the best of times against Kalinskaya during their fifth career meeting.
Trailing 5-1, the Belarussian retired due to injury, guaranteeing Kalinskaya’s place in the Berlin Open last four.
She later reached the final in Germany, where she lost in three sets to American Jessica Pegula.
Kalinskaya will no doubt hope to be fit to once again face off against the world’s best at the 2025 Australian Open which begins on January 12.
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