Jeļena Ostapenko and Anna Kalinskaya were involved in a tense moment after their fourth-round clash at the 2026 Italian Open, as they opted against the customary post-match handshake. Their controversial conduct has earned criticism from Andre Agassi and Coco Gauff’s former coach, Brad Gilbert.
Brad Gilbert Questions Jeļena Ostapenko and Anna Kalinskaya’s ‘Unsportsmanlike’ Behavior
Ostapenko took control of the match early by clinching the opening set 6-1, after which Kalinskaya called for a medical timeout and received treatment on her leg and thigh. The Latvian carried her momentum into the second set, cruising to a 6-1, 6-2 victory in just 70 minutes to book her spot in the quarterfinals of the WTA 1000 event in Rome.
As Ostapenko celebrated her victory, Kalinskaya bypassed the traditional post-match exchange at the net and went directly to shake hands with the chair umpire, with the Latvian following suit.
In the zone 🔥
Jelena Ostapenko dispatches Kalinskaya 6-1, 6-2! #IBI26 | @WTA pic.twitter.com/cWrwQuZjIv
— Internazionali BNL d’Italia (@InteBNLdItalia) May 11, 2026
It is not the first time this season that Ostapenko and Kalinskaya have drawn eyeballs with their tense post-match interactions. At the Dubai Tennis Championships earlier this year, they made headlines for their icy handshake after the Russian secured a 2-6, 6-1, 6-4 comeback win.
Reacting to the latest incident in Rome, Gilbert criticized the lack of a proper handshake between Ostapenko and Kalinskaya. While he acknowledged that they may have some “big beef” dating back to their Dubai clash, he emphasized that personal issues should not prevent players from observing the traditional post-match gesture.
“I know I’m a little old school. I know there must be some big beef from Kalinskaya and Ostapenko, which happened, I hear, in Dubai. But you can’t not shake hands. I don’t know if there’s anything in the actual rules on unsportsmanlike,” Gilbert said.
“I know, obviously, between Russians and Ukrainians, now they’re not shaking hands. That’s a little more understandable, but just on a regular beef, in my opinion, you need to shake hands. I wonder if that’s a fineable offense where you’re not shaking hands. I mean, the women have lots of blow-by handshakes, but still a handshake,” he added.
Jeļena Ostapenko Reacts to Italian Open Win Over Anna Kalinskaya
Speaking to the press after her victory, Ostapenko candidly explained why she was unfazed by her 0-4 record against Kalinskaya. “I honestly didn’t really care much. I know I’m a better player,” she said.
The Latvian also said she had been mentally prepared for Kalinskaya to use certain tactics to break her momentum during the contest.
“I was ready for all kinds of simulations with the physio calls and all these things,” she added. “She’s a tricky player that is trying to get you out of the rhythm when she starts losing. But the most important is that I’m really proud of myself, the way I was able to manage all that, losing three games and playing a really good match.”
Interestingly, the 28-year-old also highlighted the mutual respect between players, saying, “I feel like there are so many great players and we are respecting each other. I know that I can be emotional on the court, but at the end of the day, I respect the other players.”
Up next, Ostapenko will take on Sorana Cîrstea in the quarterfinals of the Italian Open, following the Romanian’s 6-2, 6-4 win over Linda Nosková. The winner of the match between Coco Gauff and Mirra Andreeva will await Ostapenko in the semifinals, provided she defeats Cîrstea.
