American WTA Star Clears the Air After Anna Kalinskaya Blamed Her for Lack of Respect

The 2025 US Open has already delivered its share of drama, and this time, it wasn’t just the tennis that had people talking. Tensions flared after a doubles clash that saw American pair Peyton Stearns and McCartney Kessler come from behind to defeat Anna Kalinskaya and Sorana Cirstea, 7-5, 6-4, despite Kalinskaya and Cirstea leading 5-1 in the first set. When the match ended, frustrations boiled over. At the net, Kalinskaya directly confronted Stearns, accusing her of poor sportsmanship. “I expected a little respect. I haven’t seen you apologize even once.”

It was clear Kalinskaya was unhappy with what she perceived as a lack of acknowledgment during moments when Stearns’ shots flew too close for comfort. Adding fuel to the fire, Stearns later reposted an Instagram story from a friend, former Ohio State player Danielle Wolf, that seemed to poke fun at Kalinskaya’s costly forehand miss on match point.” Big dub (win).”  But now, on Saturday, Stearns decided to set the record straight. Taking to X, the 22-year-old clarified that there had been a misunderstanding.

“Guys chill, she didn’t see me apologize when I had hit some forehands at her, never hit her, but I put my hand up & she wasn’t looking. Cleared the air at the end and all is good sealed w a fist bump.” Her message suggests that any tension was resolved shortly after the match, with both players leaving things on respectful terms despite the fiery exchange at the net.

This is a developing story…

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