Anna Kalinskaya makes rare statement on Jannik Sinner relationship

Anna Kalinskaya claims she feels no pressure to match Jannik Sinner’s Grand Slam triumph in a rare comment about her relationship with the Australian Open champion. The tennis power couple announced in May last year that they had started dating but have otherwise kept their romance quiet. Kalinskaya had been spotted in Sinner’s box at some of his matches. The Italian said at last year’s French Open: “Yes, I’m with Anna, but we keep everything very confidential. I won’t say more.” Sinner in particular is known to keep a close guard on his private life. However, fans have been desperate for an update on how his relationship with Kalinskaya has developed. The WTA star has now provided a rare, albeit brief, insight. She was asked whether Sinner’s victory in Melbourne heaped pressure on her to also win major championships. However, Kalinskaya responded: "Absolutely no pressure, it doesn't change anything for me." Sinner defeated Alexander Zverev in straight sets to successfully defend his Australian Open crown. A routine display saw him overcome the German 6-3 7-6 6-3 in Melbourne. “It means so much to me,” Sinner said afterwards. “It's a lot of work we we put behind this one. It means a lot to have this one now two times with me, and the support has been amazing from the start of the tournament. “The crowd has been amazing from the beginning of the of the tournament, honestly. Also the week of preparation, I got a lot of support. That's maybe what means the most to me.” The 23-year-old has withdrawn from the Rotterdam Open to give his body extra time to recover from a gruelling trip around Australia. Sinner had been due to defend his title in the Netherlands but will now skip the event. In a statement, Sinner said: "After consulting with my team we had to take the difficult decision to withdraw from the ABN AMRO Open. My body needs time to rest after the long run in Australia. "I have great memories from winning the title in front of amazing crowds at Rotterdam Ahoy last year and hope to be back there soon." Tournament director Richard Krajicek has said it is a “great shame” that Sinner will not attend. He remarked: "The Australian Open has been long and tough for Jannik. It is a great shame for both him and us that his efforts are preventing him from participating in Rotterdam."