Former Serena Williams coach Rennae Stubbs wants a clothing brand to sponsor Anhelina Kalinina
Ukrainian tennis star Anhelina Kalinina is all set to play the biggest match of her career, facing off against Elena Rybakina in the 2023 Italian Open final. However, it seems that she would be doing so without a clothing sponsor.
The 26-year-old has been Ukraine's No. 1 tennis player for nearly a year, but she currently does not have a clothing or a shoe sponsor. Kalinina has been spotted playing in T-shirts, caps and headbands of various brands like Asics, Nike, and Yonex.
Rennae Stubbs, Serena Williams' former coach, supposedly finds the lack of sponsorship strange. She recently took to social media to call on "someone" to find a clothing sponsor for Anhelina Kalinina.
"Can someone please get @angie_kalinina a clothes sponsor!!!" Stubbs tweeted.
Can someone please get @angie_kalinina a clothes sponsor!!!
Many Twitter users responded to Stubbs' remarks, commenting that they have followed Kalinina over the past year and that not having a sponsor may be intentional.
Anhelina Kalinina has had an incredible rise over the last 12 months. She broke into the top 50 of the WTA ranking in January 2022 and has only climbed higher since. Kalinina attained her career-best ranking of World No. 28 in March 2023.
While she does not have a WTA title to her name, the Ukrainian does have one final appearance - at the 2021 Budapest Open.
Anhelina Kalinina has put together an incredible run in Rome
Anhelina Kalinina is about to compete in the final of the 2023 Italian Open against World No. 6 Elena Rybakina, which will be the biggest match of her tennis career.
The World No. 47 has found form despite a relatively uneventful first half of the year. After getting a bye in the Rome first round as the 30th seed, Kalinina defeated Russia's Anna Blinkova and former World No. 4 Sofia Kenin in straight sets in the second and third round, respectively.
She then got the better of 19th seed Madison Keys in the fourth round and 12th seed Beatriz Haddad Maia in the quarter-final. The match against Haddad Maia lasted 3 hours and 41 minutes, becoming the longest match of the 2023 season.
Kalinina's next opponent was World No. 11 Veronika Kudermetova. This content lasted almost 3 hours, with the former emerging victorious 7-5, 5-7, 6-2.
Thanks to the fairytale run in Rome, Kalinina will now, at the very least, achieve her highest-ever ranking of World No. 25. She could soar even higher if she lifts the trophy, but either way she is guaranteed to be seeded at Roland Garros 2023.