"There’s no pressure when you play someone from the top 10": Anna Kalinskaya embraces underdog role in victory over Madison Keys

Anna Kalinskaya shared her thoughts after a standout win over Madison Keys, marking her fourth career victory over a top-5 opponent. The Russian stunned the second seed – and reigning Australian Open champion – to reach the quarter-finals of the WTA 500 Charleston Open.

It was an impressive performance from the 26-year-old, who eliminated one of the home favourites. It was also her second straight win over an American, and now she gets ready to face yet another – former Australian Open champion (2020) Sofia Kenin.

Kalinskaya seems to be finding her rhythm this season, arriving in Charleston’s green clay with just one win in her last five matches. The surface change appears to suit her well, especially after an early exit at the Miami Open, which gave her extra time to adapt before the clay swing.

“I can say I like green clay, I like Charleston, I like the atmosphere here. I played against Madison here but I could still feel support for myself, so the atmosphere was great, fans were great,” Kalinskaya told Tennis Channel after defeating Keys. “People were super sweet, lots of kids coming to watch, so yeah I really enjoyed it and I’m glad I have another opportunity tomorrow.”

“I started to believe in my second serve more after yesterday. I think the percentage on my first serve was good, as well. And I was trying to make as few mistakes as possible. In some moments, she was playing really aggressively,” she added. “I just had to stay calm and I really respect her – some shots were great and there wasn’t much I could do. But I tried to stay focused and do my job, and I’m glad it worked.”

Kalinskaya holds a solid 11–9 (55%) career record against top-10 players – an impressive figure for someone who hasn’t yet cracked the elite group herself. Among those wins are four against top-5 opponents, including three against top-3 players – such as World No. 1 Iga Swiatek last year in Dubai. The Russian admitted that facing top-ranked opponents helps take pressure off.

“I guess there’s no pressure when you play someone from the top 10 and I don’t have to play my best – if not, they’ll take advantage of me,” Kalinskaya said. “So I have fewer doubts when I play against a top player and just go for it. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t – but I’m glad most of the time it does.”