Social media has emerged as one of the most anti-social phenomena in recent times. In a world where it was supposed to bring us closer, it often feels like it’s doing the exact opposite—fueling misunderstandings, sparking controversies, and turning whispers into wildfires. The latest person caught in this digital crossfire is Russian tennis star Anna Kalinskaya, whose online presence is stirring up quite the storm. The buzz? Rumors are swirling about her relationship status with none other than World No. 1, Jannik Sinner.

Kalinskaya has a whopping 357,000 followers on Instagram and follows 210 people in return. Most of the people Kalinskaya follows are celebrities and fellow tennis players from the WTA and ATP circuits. Among the male tennis players the Russian star follows on Instagram are Australians Alex de Minaur and Matty Reidy, Swiss Roger Federer, Serbian Novak Djokovic, and American JC Aragone. Does this list ring a bell?

The 25-year-old does not follow her beau, the Italian dynamo Sinner, on the platform! This has raised several eyebrows within the tennis community, with fans questioning the decision. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), one user shared screenshots of an Instagram search on Kalinskaya’s profile. When Sinner’s name is typed into the search box, no results pop up. This follows a series of recent rumors that have emerged on social media.

It was speculated by fans that Sinner spread his tonsillitis to Kalinskaya, which eventually led to a rift between them. Further assumptions arose when Kalinskaya withdrew from the ongoing Canadian Open, citing feeling unwell during her match against Amanda Anisimova, with speculation that this was related to her supposed illness. Recall that the Italian star was diagnosed with tonsillitis ahead of the Summer Olympics, which kept him from competing in Paris. But amidst the rumors, Sinner’s profile suggests otherwise.

Sinner, who has 2.7 million followers on Instagram, continues to follow Kalinskaya despite the rumors. Among the 98 people he follows are celebrated artists and fellow athletes from different countries. However, the star athletes have not made any official statements about the speculations growing on the tennis courts. Earlier, Sinner revealed in May that he and Kalinskaya were in a relationship. However, he emphasized that the couple prefers keeping their private life away from the media spotlight and has not spoken much since then. But the affection they have often expressed on social media tells another story.

When social media helped Sinner and Kalinskaya express support for each other

Sinner was very close to glory at the French Open this year. But after losing to Carlos Alcaraz in the semi-finals, he received unwavering support from his girlfriend, with social media serving as the perfect medium.

After the match, Sinner took to Instagram, expressing gratitude for an overall good tournament and determination to keep pushing forward. In a heartwarming moment, Kalinskaya stood by his side even after the defeat and commented, “Proud 🥹,” on his post. Tho this, Sinner affectionately replied with emojis, “🥹😘.” Kalinskaya has also expressed her high regard for Sinner in the past.

Mentioning how Sinner inspires her, Kalinskaya said, “I’m just trying to be a little bit as good as Jannik.” She further gleefully said, “He has an amazing year, I’m gonna text him now, I’m so happy.”

While the ongoing rumors continue unabated, it will be interesting to see if the couple can nullify them and come out stronger from the chaos.