THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

June 27, 2022

Anhelina Kalinina

Press Conference

A. KALININA/A. Bondar

4-6, 6-2, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Give us your thoughts on today's match.

ANHELINA KALININA: Yeah, first of all, this is my first main draw Wimbledon. I think today was a little bit of too much, I think too much nerves for the first round, but I'm happy, you know, that I handle it anyway.

I'm not really satisfied with the quality, but hopefully in the next round it will be better.

THE MODERATOR: Questions?

Q. With everything that's going on at home in the Ukraine, how difficult has it been to concentrate on tennis?

ANHELINA KALININA: I mean, yeah, it was impossibly difficult to concentrate, especially when everything just happened unexpectedly out of nowhere in February.

At that moment I was doing my preparation before Indian Wells. Yes, I was not able to practice at all, yeah. Yeah, that was tough, and the last time I was home was 17th February. I think many other Ukrainian players same situation.

Q. We just have spoken to Lesia, and she said your parents' home has been bombed; is that right?

ANHELINA KALININA: Yes.

Q. Can you just talk about that. Are your family okay?

ANHELINA KALININA: Yeah, I mean, thanks God they are alive, they are safe.

But they live like many other Ukrainians, on the bags, so you never know what's going to happen tomorrow because everything looks like sometimes quiet. But then yesterday was two rockets in Kyiv, in the center.

Yes, they are living on the bags and praying every day.

Q. There was a Ukrainian flag next to the court. Some were waving it. Was that family or friends of yours?

ANHELINA KALININA: I don't know. I think that was just people who support me.

Q. Did that give you great support seeing that?

ANHELINA KALININA: I mean, I'm always grateful when Ukrainians, when they come and watch my matches, when they support. I mean, it always means a lot.

Of course I feel like comfortable. I feel like I'm not like alone there. I'm very grateful that they are coming.

Q. Lesia said she might see if you can wear Ukrainian ribbon or something to show...

ANHELINA KALININA: Yeah, I'm actually, how to say, I put it on my tennis bag. But like physically when I put it on there, I tried to practice, but it was not really comfortable.

So that's why I always put it on my bag.

Q. She was saying together you might want to make a statement to show support for Ukraine, two Ukrainian players?

ANHELINA KALININA: Yes, I'm doing this but not like on the T-shirt on the match.

Q. You'd want to do something with her on the next match?

ANHELINA KALININA: We'll see. We will discuss.

Q. You said you haven't been home since February. Where have you been staying when you're not at tournaments?

ANHELINA KALININA: I was only on the tournaments since February. Yes, I was only there; Indian Wells, Miami, Charleston, Istanbul, Madrid, Rome, French Open. And then all these 's-Hertogenbosch, Berlin, now. We can count further.

Yes. I'm always on the tournaments right now, yes.

Q. I wanted to ask you whether you have felt support from other players, tours, tennis officials? Do you feel as if you have received personal support at all as well as public?

ANHELINA KALININA: First of all, I would say, for example, before doesn't matter what the situation. Before if some players they didn't talk to me or I don't know some of them, it doesn't really mean that they come and support me.

So I have my friends. Like some of them are closer, some of them not. But people who are much closer to me, they were there. They were ready to give me apartment, they were ready to give me -- to help me even with the money. I was saying, like, Guys, I know you are there, but I will try to handle it on my own.

I know that I have friends, and they are ready to support me. Not only with words, but to support me, to help my family even.

Q. What was your reaction when you first heard that the All England Club said it would not allow players from Russia and Belarus to play at Wimbledon this year?

ANHELINA KALININA: I can't really, you know, answer your question. But I would say that, because I cannot be, how to say, objective about the situation. So those players I understand, yes, we are all sportsmen.

But we can't compare WTA points, we cannot compare this ban of these players to what's going on currently in Ukraine. We cannot compare this what they are now missing and how many millions of people are killed, still dying, and how many refugees are brought and surviving, with mothers with their kids, people are out of money, out of family, out of their jobs. They don't have anything. They are like homeless.

So we can't compare these things. So I cannot be normal to all this.

Q. What exactly has your family situation been since the Russian attack?

ANHELINA KALININA: First of all, their house was attacked. There are huge holes in the house, like huge holes. There are no apartments anymore.

So now this home is getting rebuilt, so they can't live there. So they live in my apartment where I'm living with my husband. It's a very small apartment for my family, because, like, my mom, my dad, my brother, and they have pets. So they are so happy and we are grateful that they can move, you know, that they have place to move from Irpin city because Irpin city, everyone knows how Bucha, Irpin, is fully bombed.

Currently, they are rebuilding the house. Now they are at home safe. They have everything. Yes, I'm grateful that they have opportunities to live, and I am playing tennis. So that's good.

Q. What do you hope your next match with someone from your own country will mean to the world and to the people of Ukraine?

ANHELINA KALININA: I mean, it would be very great match between Ukrainians, and I think it's like, I don't know, nothing will be -- I mean, it's very good that both players and are in the second round.

Q. Tsurenko, when she was here spoke about the message about athletes competing and a message of needing help for the country. What message would you like your participation and her participation to send to people all over the world?

ANHELINA KALININA: What do you mean? I don't understand the question really.

Q. She said that the opportunity for the two of you will be to send a message that your country needs help. It's not just athletes and competing. It's much more than that. What do you think the message might be of the match you're about to have?

ANHELINA KALININA: Honestly, I don't know what to answer this question.

Q. You were talking about all the horrible things that are happening back home. It's hard to compare with tennis and puts it all in perspective. Lesia was talking about how she finds it hard to focus, winning and losing doesn't really seem to matter anymore, despite her making it through to this match because of how hard it is to focus.

ANHELINA KALININA: Yes, I understand it's hard to focus, but for me it matters if I win or if I lose. Because more I win, of course I've got currently money. I'm not only helping my family, I'm helping other families and other people, and there really, how to say, it's not a pressure, it's a privilege to play here. It's a privilege to play every tournament, and to get the quality of the game means better events. You go further. You earn more money. Then I'm able to help, and I'm helping as much as I can and not only to my family. So for me that matters.

Q. So the money you make from these tournaments, you are helping lots of -- as you pointed out, there are so many people who are destitute.

ANHELINA KALININA: I'm helping a lot to my family. I'm helping a lot to my grandmother and grandfather who is in occupied territory now. They can't leave. So next door is like Russian soldiers with all their military stuff.

So, yes, I'm helping my -- not even friends but I can't even say that they are friends, but I'm helping as much as I can to the people that I even don't know sometimes, as much as I can. I'm not superstar so I'm helping with what I can. And it's a lot to them, and for me that's huge motivation to play. Huge.