Kalinina Surrenders Victory to Paolini, Losing Seven Games in a Row After 5:0 in the Second Set in Ningbo

Ukraine's fifth-ranked player and world No. 51 Angelina Kalinina suffered a painful defeat at the start of the WTA 500 hardcourt tournament in Ningbo, China. The match against Italy's Jasmine Paolini (world No. 35) ended in a dramatic comeback by her opponent: 2:6, 5:7. The first-round main draw (Round of 32) match lasted 1 hour and 41 minutes and marked the second head-to-head duel between the tennis players, with the Italian once again proving stronger.

Lucky Loser Status and Path to the Main Draw

Kalinina entered the main draw in Ningbo as a lucky loser. The reason was that the Ukrainian was unable to finish the qualifying final due to feeling unwell. Nevertheless, this exact status gave her the chance to play in the first round of the WTA 500 tournament, where she was drawn against world No. 35 Jasmine Paolini. For Kalinina, this is now her fourth consecutive tournament where she exits in the first round of the main draw — similar results were recorded at the US Open, as well as at tournaments in Beijing and Wuhan.

A Dramatic Turnaround: From 5:0 to Defeat

The first set was dictated by Paolini, who confidently took it 6:2. However, the picture changed drastically in the second set: Kalinina seized the initiative and surged ahead with a 5:0 lead. At this point, the match could have practically been decided in the Ukrainian's favor. However, she failed to hold onto the colossal advantage — Kalinina dropped seven games in a row to her opponent, and along with them, the entire match. The outcome of the second set was 5:7 in favor of the Italian.

The Losing Streak Continues

The dramatic defeat in Ningbo continued a prolonged streak of setbacks for the Ukrainian tennis player. Kalinina has now lost in the very first round of the main draw for the fourth consecutive tournament. The last time such a sequence occurred was at the US Open, followed by similar outcomes at the tournaments in Beijing and Wuhan. Thus, by the beginning of October 2026, the Ukrainian has failed to advance past the first round in any of her last four tournaments.

Ukrainians in Ningbo: Who Keeps Fighting

Despite Kalinina's defeat, other Ukrainian representatives continue to fight at the prestigious hardcourt tournament in China. Marta Kostyuk and Daria Snigur, who is also competing as a lucky loser, remain in the tournament draw and are vying to continue their journey in Ningbo. Their upcoming matches will be a key event for Ukrainian fans in the current phase of the WTA season.