Anna Kalinskaya reveals Holger Rune slid into her DMs 10 times; latter snaps back

Currently ranked 34th in the WTA Rankings, Anna Kalinskaya caused quite a stir with a candid revelation in a recent conversation. The Russian ace marked a third-round exit from the recently concluded US Open with a 6-7, 4-6 loss against Iga Swiatek. However, her latest conversation drifted away from the court, reaching an interesting juncture. When asked if WTA players often receive messages from their ATP counterparts, Kalinskaya admitted that one player had messaged her at least 10 times. Pressed to reveal the name, she hesitated briefly before pointing to Holger Rune, saying the ATP star “deserved” it.

"If I want to go on a date, I ask for a date": Holger Rune reacts to Anna Kalinskaya's claims

The former girlfriend of World No. 2 Jannik Sinner, Anna Kalinskaya, recently brought Holger Rune to center stage. This is not the first time the 22-year-old has been in the spotlight for reasons beyond the game and the tennis court. Earlier this year, Veronika Kudermetova mentioned Rune sliding into her DMs. However, the incident ended amicably after Kudermetova told the young player that she’s married.

Now, Kudermetova's compatriot Anna Kalinskaya has made a similar revelation about the Danish star. In a recent interaction, Kalinskaya was asked about players from the tour approaching her. At first, the former girlfriend of Jannik Sinner tried to downplay the query, but the Russian player eventually spoke about a certain young player sliding into her DMs at least 10 times. When pressed further, Kalinskaya named Holger Rune as that player, even adding that he “thinks too much of himself.”

“Tennis players more often before. Now I’m older, I don’t know. For some, it’s no chance at all. Someone wrote like 10 times and then gave up,” said Kalinskaya. “Holger Rune. He writes to everyone. He deserves all this. He thinks too much of himself, or maybe he’s just too hopeless. But he’s not the only one," she further added.

Kalinskaya's anecdote about Rune quickly went viral on the internet and eventually reached him. The 11th-ranked ATP player did not let the dig slide and reacted to the allegations. While the Danish star did not deny sliding into Kalinskaya's DMs, he clarified his intentions behind sending her the messages. Rune blamed “cultural differences” for what he believes is Kalinskaya’s wrong take on the incident.

"Ha ha ha. We might have cultural differences that make Anna read a comment on a story as an invitation to a date. If I want to go on a date, I ask for a date. Don’t worry," Rune wrote on X.

Ha ha ha. We might have cultural differences that make Anna read a comment on a story as an invitation to a date 😜 if I want to go on a date, I ask for a date . Don’t worry

— Holger Rune (@holgerrune2003) September 9, 2025