"I love tennis”—Anna Kalinskaya’s game-changing moment with coach Patricia Tarabini
WTA
A recent WTA video highlights the close bond between Anna Kalinskaya and her coach Patricia Tarabini. The Argentine former player has been working with Kalinskaya since 2019, when the Russian was barely inside the top 150.
With Tarabini’s guidance, Kalinskaya made significant progress on the WTA Tour, breaking into the top 100 in 2022 and reaching her career-high ranking of World No. 11 in 2024 after making the quarter-finals at the Australian Open, the final of the WTA 1000 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, and the WTA 500 Berlin Ladies Open.
In a recent WTA video, Tarabini reflected on her player's growth over the years. “I think she maybe grew up with a lot of expectations from people, from those around her.”
"In five and a half years with Anna, one of the most important things I’ve heard from her was just two weeks ago. She said, ‘I love tennis.’ So I’m done. We can quit, and I’m done. I did my job, I think, now that she can tell me she loves tennis.”
Kalinskaya (No. 34) herself credited her coach for the success they’ve achieved together. “She’s a great coach, and every day I see it—how much she can still give me. Every day is a learning process with her on court.”
While female coaches remain a minority on tour, several WTA players are currently working with them, including Mirra Andreeva (No. 9, Conchita Martinez), Marta Kostyuk (No. 19, Sandra Zaniewska), Donna Vekic (No. 20, Pam Shriver), Katie Boulter (No. 26, Biljana Veselinovic), and Magda Linette (No. 37, Agnieszka Radwańska).
Kalinskaya is currently on a three-match losing streak after reaching the final at the Singapore Tennis Open in early February. She also suffered early exits at the Doha Open and Dubai Open—where she was defending her 2024 runner-up finish. The Russian will compete at Indian Wells next week, where her recent early losses could prove costly, as she just missed out on being seeded as World No. 33.
"I did my job I think, she can tell me that she loves tennis."
— WTARussians (@WTArussians) March 1, 2025
The coaching partnership between Patricia Tarabini and Anna Kalinskaya is one to admire, lasting over 5 years and bringing her from outside the Top 150 to the Top 15.
Glad to see Anna finding love for the sport! pic.twitter.com/MLIrhPak3r
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