'Text me like ten times': Holger Rune brutally exposed by Jannik Sinner's ex-girlfriend

Tuesday, 09 September 2025 at 22:58

byJordan Reynolds

Holger Rune is in the spotlight again for his behavior off the court after another WTA player revealed he repeatedly contacted her.

Rune has enjoyed a mostly challenging season on the court. He won the 2025 Barcelona Open, a superb achievement that should not be dismissed, but he has struggled to find consistency amid form and illness issues.

The Dane unexpectedly made headlines off the court a few weeks ago after comments made by WTA star Veronika Kudermetova, who claimed she told Rune she had a husband and was too old for him after he contacted her.

In an appearance on the First&Red Show, Anna Kalinskaya said that behavior is more common than initially thought. This year's Citi Open runner-up initially did not name Rune when mentioning that an ATP star repeatedly tried to spark an online conversation.

"Tennis players? More before. Now I'm older, so I don't know. For some, there's just no need to write. Someone wrote like ten times and then gave up."

After being pressed by the interviewer, Kalinskaya revealed Rune's identity as the player who messaged her so many times, and then said the 22-year-old has done the same with other female players.

"I'll say it now.... Holger Rune. He writes to everyone. He deserves all this, thinks too much of himself. Maybe he's just that hopeless, but he's not the only one."

Although she laughed with the interviewer while making the comments, they were absolutely cutting. Rune being called hopeless and told he thinks too much of himself, after already being exposed by Kudermetova, is a tough thing to have out in the public domain.

Rather than being annoyed or staying silent, Rune attempted to clarify the situation by replying to an X account that posted Kalinskaya's comments. The Barcelona Open winner wrote that Kalinskaya misunderstood, and he was not looking for a date.

"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."

Without seeing the messages, it is impossible to determine whether Kalinskaya misinterpreted Rune's intentions. It is also uncertain whether the WTA player was being hyperbolic about how many other tennis stars he messaged.

Some replied to Rune's post with supportive words. They felt Kalinskaya's public naming of him as someone who tried to message her was unnecessary and made him look bad for something that may have been a misunderstanding.

Kalinskaya has dated two high-profile ATP players

Kalinskaya's words will get additional attention because she has dated Nick Kyrgios and Jannik Sinner. The relationship with Kyrgios briefly occurred in 2020 before reaching a swift conclusion.

Sinner and Kalinskaya were a couple for much of 2024. She was in his box at the 2024 US Open and kissed him afterward. When their relationship ended is unclear, but the pair is confirmed to have split at some point.

The Italian was less successful at this year's US Open final without Kalinskaya in attendance. Carlos Alcaraz produced a performance he admitted was perfect to beat him in four sets.