It’s been a tough season for Anna Kalinskaya. On one hand, the Russian pro has made strides, reaching later rounds and even making her first-ever singles final at the Washington DC Citi Open in July. Although she couldn’t secure the title, the run showed promise for the 26-year-old’s form. She built on that momentum, making the quarterfinals in Cincinnati and the third round at the US Open. But heading into the Asian swing, things took a dip with first-round exits in China and Wuhan.

Still, she bounced back at the Japan Open, reaching the quarterfinals before withdrawing due to injury. Now, facing Victoria Mboko, the story repeated itself for the Russian pro.

Kalinskaya’s match on Friday took an unfortunate turn against Canadian rising star Mboko. After dropping the first set 1-6, Kalinskaya called for a medical timeout early in the second as the physio checked her vitals. For a brief moment, it looked like she might push through, but the discomfort was clear. With the score at 1-6, 1-3, the sixth seed retired after two visits from the physio, handing Mboko the win. The match ended with concern rather than competition.

This marks her sixth withdrawal of the season. One fan wasn’t happy with how things turned out for Anna Kalinskaya, commenting under a post about her retirement, “Sore loser.” The remark came as she once again retired from a tournament that had given hope of reaching another final and maybe even winning her maiden singles title.

While she hasn’t had much luck in singles, her doubles journey tells a different story. This year, Kalinskaya lifted a title in Madrid with Sorana Cirstea and reached the final in Brisbane. Still, her ranking took a hit. She now sits at No.35 in singles and No.39 in doubles. With another retirement at the Hong Kong Open, fans aren’t too happy.

Anna Kalinskaya’s fans express their disappointment on social media

Under the tweet announcing her retirement, one fan summed it up sharply: “Most injured player on tour, definitely has the most MTOs of the season.” That comment stung but wasn’t far off. This was already her sixth walkover of the year. Kalinskaya spent much of the season nursing a thigh injury that forced retirements in Adelaide and Singapore, plus a heartbreaking withdrawal from the Australian Open just minutes before her first-round match.

As the months went on, things didn’t get easier. The Russian later dealt with a right wrist injury, confirmed by Elena Rybakina after their Wimbledon meeting, and a shoulder injury that doctors described as rare and specific. Add in an illness-related withdrawal from the Merida Open Akron, and her season looked more like a medical record than a match log. “Why this lady play if she is always injured,” another fan wrote, tired of seeing her matches end before they began.

Then came the strange moment that sparked even more chatter. One fan mocked what happened next: “Lmao I have NEVER seen someone retired off of blood pressure lol… if wta doesn’t investigate this they are practically useless classic fixing case.” While that comment went viral, it’s worth noting that blood pressure checks aren’t unheard of during extreme match conditions. The recent Wuhan Open in China, for instance, saw brutal heat and humidity, with temperatures soaring above 30°C. Players like Emma Raducanu and Jelena Ostapenko also retired due to heat-related illness, with Raducanu visibly dizzy and needing her blood pressure checked courtside.

Still, some fans were clearly running out of patience. “Sometimes it seems as if she always gives up when she sees no hope of winning,” one wrote, voicing a growing frustration with her repeated withdrawals. For now, Kalinskaya hasn’t explained what exactly happened in her latest match.  The question now stands: What’s next for the Russian?