--- title: "Kalinina Packed Her Racket at the Start of US Open 2026: Sensational Loss to a Qualifier and Fifth Straight Major First-Round Exit" description: "Angelina Kalinina, world No. 51, suffered a stunning loss to qualifier Himeno Sakatsume in the first round of US Open 2026, extending her losing streak at the majors to five in a row." date: 2026-08-31T17:48:22.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/kalinina-sensational-loss-at-start-of-us-open-2026 tags: [tennis, us-open-2026, angelina-kalinina, ukraine, grand-slam] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Kalinina Packed Her Racket at the Start of US Open 2026: Sensational Loss to a Qualifier and Fifth Straight Major First-Round Exit ![Kalinina in tears after a shocking first-round loss at US Open 2026](https://xab.info/media/2026/08/31/kalinina-sensatsionno-proigrala-na-starte-us-open-2026/kalinina-sensatsionno-proigrala-na-starte-us-open-2026-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - Angelina Kalinina (world No. 51) lost to Himeno Sakatsume (No. 144, qualifier) 3:6, 3:6 in the first round of US Open 2026. - This is Kalinina's fifth consecutive loss in the first rounds of Grand Slam tournaments β€” the first such slump of her career. - Kalinina became the second Ukrainian to be eliminated at the start; Daria Yastremska had already gone out, while Marta Kostyuk and Elina Svitolina continue the fight. - Novak Djokovic also went out at the start of US Open 2026, losing in the first round for the first time in 20 years. Ukraine's No. 5 and the world's No. 51, Angelina Kalinina, ended her run at the 2026 US Open after just the opening match. The home player suffered a stunning defeat to Japan's Himeno Sakatsume, who had fought her way into the main draw through qualifying, extending her dismal streak of losses at Grand Slam tournaments. This is reported by [Sport RBC.UA](https://sport.rbc.ua/ukr/tennis/shansiv-proti-kvalifaerki-kalinina-sensatsiyno-1788198397.html), citing the match result. ### Match progression: an early break and four straight games for the Japanese The final score in New York was 3:6, 3:6 in favor of Himeno Sakatsume (world No. 144). The match began with a break by Kalinina, but after a successful opening game the Ukrainian gave away four consecutive points, which effectively decided the first set. In the second set the Japanese player kept the initiative and sealed a confident win in 1 hour 23 minutes. The athlete's emotional state after the final point β€” hand to her face, tears in her eyes β€” became one of the most striking images of the tournament's opening day. ### Fifth straight first-round loss at the majors This defeat marked Angelina Kalinina's fifth consecutive loss in the first round of the main draw at Grand Slam events. Such a slump is a first in the player's career: in 2026 she has yet to win a single match in the main draw of a Grand Slam. For the world's No. 51, who has been a consistent top-100 player in recent seasons, this streak serves as a serious signal that her preparation and tactics on hard courts need to be rethought. ### The Ukrainian team at US Open 2026: who is still in the fight Kalinina became the second Ukrainian woman to leave US Open 2026 at the start: Daria Yastremska had already ended her run earlier. Meanwhile, Marta Kostyuk and Elina Svitolina continue their battle on New York's hard courts, and the main burden of Ukrainian women's tennis at this stage of the season now rests on their shoulders. ### Context: not just the Ukrainians β€” Novak Djokovic also went out at the start It is worth noting that US Open 2026 has been particularly rich in first-round upsets. Novak Djokovic had already been eliminated, losing at the start of a Grand Slam for the first time in 20 years. The combination of such results underscores that the opening round of this major has been one of the most unpredictable in recent years, with early favorites and high seeds falling en masse to qualifiers and players outside the top 100. ## πŸ” Fact-Check Verification - [No chance against a qualifier: Kalinina's sensational loss at the start of US Open](https://sport.rbc.ua/ukr/tennis/shansiv-proti-kvalifaerki-kalinina-sensatsiyno-1788198397.html) - ΠŸΠ΅Ρ€Π²ΠΈΡ‡Π½Ρ‹ΠΉ источник: счСт 3:6, 3:6, Π΄Π»ΠΈΡ‚Π΅Π»ΡŒΠ½ΠΎΡΡ‚ΡŒ 1 час 23 ΠΌΠΈΠ½ΡƒΡ‚Ρ‹, сСрия ΠΈΠ· пяти ΠΏΠΎΡ€Π°ΠΆΠ΅Π½ΠΈΠΉ подряд Π² ΠΏΠ΅Ρ€Π²Ρ‹Ρ… Ρ€Π°ΡƒΠ½Π΄Π°Ρ… ΠΌΠ΅ΠΉΠ΄ΠΆΠΎΡ€ΠΎΠ², контСкст ΠΏΠΎ ЯстрСмской, ΠšΠΎΡΡ‚ΡŽΠΊ, Π‘Π²ΠΈΡ‚ΠΎΠ»ΠΈΠ½ΠΎΠΉ ΠΈ Π”ΠΆΠΎΠΊΠΎΠ²ΠΈΡ‡Ρƒ. - [Angelina Kalinina – Himeno Sakatsume. Loss at US Open. Video review of the match](https://sport.ua/news/903050-angelina-kalinina-himeno-sakatsume-porazhenie-na-us-open-videoobzor-matcha) - ΠŸΠΎΠ΄Ρ‚Π²Π΅Ρ€ΠΆΠ΄Π°Π΅Ρ‚ Ρ„Π°ΠΊΡ‚ пораТСния ΠΈ сопСрницу (Π₯ΠΈΠΌΠ΅Π½ΠΎ Π‘Π°ΠΊΠ°Ρ†ΡƒΠΌΠ΅) Π² ΠΌΠ°Ρ‚Ρ‡Π΅ US Open. - [Angelina Kalinina – Himeno Sakatsume. Match preview for the Round of 128 at US Open](https://sport.ua/news/902836-angelina-kalinina-himeno-sakatsume-prognoz-na-match-164-finala-us-open) - ΠŸΠΎΠ΄Ρ‚Π²Π΅Ρ€ΠΆΠ΄Π°Π΅Ρ‚ Ρ„Π°ΠΊΡ‚ пораТСния ΠΈ сопСрницу (Π₯ΠΈΠΌΠ΅Π½ΠΎ Π‘Π°ΠΊΠ°Ρ†ΡƒΠΌΠ΅) Π² ΠΌΠ°Ρ‚Ρ‡Π΅ US Open. - [Angelina Kalinina packed her racket at the start of US Open β€” 2026](https://www.ua-football.com/sport/tennis/1788195878-angelina-kalinina-zachehlila-raketku-na-starte-us-open-2026.html) - ΠŸΠΎΠ΄Ρ‚Π²Π΅Ρ€ΠΆΠ΄Π°Π΅Ρ‚ Ρ€Π°Π½Π½ΠΈΠΉ Π²Ρ‹Π»Π΅Ρ‚ Калининой Π½Π° стартС US Open-2026. ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: What was the score of Angelina Kalinina's loss at the start of US Open 2026? **A:** Kalinina lost to Himeno Sakatsume 3:6, 3:6 in 1 hour 23 minutes. ### Q: Who was Kalinina's opponent in the first round? **A:** Japanese player Himeno Sakatsume, world No. 144, who had fought her way into the main draw through qualifying. ### Q: What is notable about this losing streak? **A:** It is Kalinina's fifth consecutive loss in the first rounds of Grand Slam tournaments β€” the first such slump of her career; in 2026 she has not won a single match in the main draw of the majors. ### Q: Which Ukrainian players are still in the fight at US Open 2026? **A:** Marta Kostyuk and Elina Svitolina continue the fight; Angelina Kalinina and Daria Yastremska had already been eliminated at the start.