Anna Kalinskaya had an exceptional week, starting by qualifying for the Dubai Tennis Championships and concluding by reaching the tournament final, having defeated world No. 1 Iga Świątek and US Open champion Coco Gauff en route. Her 6-4 6-4 victory over Świątek in the semifinal made her only the second qualifier to reach a WTA 1000 final and the second player to defeat the Polish star in her last 26 matches.
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Despite initially leading in the final against Italy’s Jasmine Paolini and serving for the title with a 5-4 advantage in the deciding set, Kalinskaya ultimately succumbed 4-6 7-5 7-5. Following the semifinal, Kalinskaya, ranked world No. 40, emphasized the importance of staying calm and aggressive against Świątek. She expressed satisfaction at the win and anticipated future encounters with the remarkable player. Kalinskaya’s victories in Dubai, including an upset against world No. 3 Coco Gauff, complement her breakthrough at the Australian Open, propelling her from a starting rank of world No. 80 to an anticipated career-high top 30 ranking.
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