Anna Kalinskaya secured a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Anna Blinkova in the first round of the 2026 US Open, but her win was nearly overshadowed by a controversial electronic line-call error on Court 5.
During the second set, with Kalinskaya serving at 40-15, her crosscourt forehand clearly landed inside the sideline. However, the electronic line-call system mistakenly ruled the ball out. Attempts to review the call were hampered when the replay screen showed footage from an entirely different point, leaving officials unable to correct the error immediately. Later, broadcast cameras confirmed that the ball had indeed landed well inside the line.
The Incident on Court 5
Kalinskaya reacted strongly to the erroneous call, pointing toward the mark on the court and telling the chair umpire, “You are here to watch!” She requested to speak with a supervisor, but the umpire declined, maintaining that the ball was too close to overturn the decision. Although she lost that game, Kalinskaya composed herself and went on to finish the match without significant difficulty.
Following the match, the United States Tennis Association (USTA) issued an apology, acknowledging that a malfunction in the electronic line-call system was responsible for the incorrect ruling. The organization also admitted that officials failed to adhere to established protocols, noting that a proper video review should have been initiated to rectify the situation.