Anna Blinkova vs. Anna Kalinskaya Extended Highlights | 2026 US Open Round 1

It's as good as it gets. It's another fabulous combination. Caught the line. Yeah, that's a good way to start the first return game. Yeah, that's dangerous. Going about forehand down the line to invite her cross court backhand is a risk. Just cannot live with the quality on the Kalinskaya backhand right now. That's good length, just kind of like that. She covered so much grounded Kalinskaya and do what she likes to do best, which is just play that backhand cross and not feel any pressure. There it is right there. Feeling that if she gets one good crack, she's right back on top of every rally. Well, they're starting to bring the best out of the other. Such a fluid shot. It has to be for me top three best backhands on the list for absolutely it would be the other two above it. Beautiful job. That's a marathon hold. That is a great hold. So good the footwork to hit that forehand inside out. Yeah, you really you can really hear the ball quality coming off of Kalinskaya's racket right now. She seems to be even upping the pace, maybe slightly than she did to get that 2-0 lead. Maybe a little bit of annoyance, maybe a little bit of like. That's big, yeah, that's the first one I've seen her take up the line. I would say she spotted it this time. She's gone there a couple of times in the drop shot Kalinskaya, but that was picked up nicely. Yeah, I think it's a good decision. You know she's in a good part of the court to try to deploy the dropper there. A little part of me also is thinking there that she's wanting to the game where she's going to really lock it in. That's a lovely move forward. Quick to spot the opportunity, wasn't she? Oh, that's sensational. Advantage cones. Wow, yeah, there it is. It's been a real arm wrestle this opening set, but in the end, after 51 minutes, it's Anna Kalinskaya the number 21 seed who imposes her will to take it 6-4. Sorry, 3rd is the day my apologies. And you get a feeling that that's kind of the sense that I'm getting from this match right now is that. As you said, Blanco is being quite the nuisance. That's a great redirect going behind blink over there. 15 love. In terms of winners today. And that can sometimes be a kind of a counterintuitive problem that you play in the weaker side because you go there too much. Your opponent kind of gets a nice rhythm on it and starts to hit beauties off of it. Absolutely. I feel like it's a real thing. Wow, another crosscourt winner from the from the middle of the court. She can really just pull that backhand cross. Yeah, they've been together for quite some time now. There's a lot of trust for challenge guy and Pato's. We call her interesting. They're thinking the ball is going to go along a little bit, I think. She's always such a calm figure, isn't she? On the sidelines, Tara Beenie. Yeah, she doesn't get much effect that as a coach, because it must be hard. Yeah, the hair, right? She's definitely nervous from the side as well. Yes, we're nervous with a backhand like that. Door is opened a little. She's just found such extra quality on the forehand when she's needed it today. Yeah, she really didn't hit a winner there. It was just a quality ball that won her the point. Speaking of, oh wow, that's high quality. Look at the reaction. Yeah, great, great. Sir, plus one there in the last two points of that game for Blancova. Blancova really changing her position here for the second server turn. I think there's definitely some disagreement there with the with the machine. I think you definitely see it on the clay courts, especially. Wow, what a turn. Some fresh things around. We saw Cincinnati doing the renovation, which is it's really become the best tournament on tour, in my opinion. US Open following suit, you see all these tournaments trying to really push one another to to make the events better for the players and staff, and it's going to be really interesting to sneak out another break and you can maybe get inside pretty quickly here. Yeah, that wasn't coming back. As a player, there's no better feeling than finishing a match and you start to see some drizzle knowing you're done and other people really have to wait and grind it out. Wow, great volley. Well, the foot has been planted firmly on the accelerator here, hasn't it? Yeah. After that unfortunate situation, she's really she's really dialed it in and she's really. Wow, that's just too good. Phenomenal depth. 4030 Anna Kalinskaya gets it done for number 21 seed in a real arm wrestling the opening set with Anna Blinkova. We've got through that and got through the second set, despite an electronic line call that didn't do her any favours whatsoever, to say the least. But she is into round two and does it the straight sets way.