Holger Rune DM Drama: The Messy ‘Hot Mic’ Moment That Has the Tennis World Cringing

If there is one thing the internet loves more than a massive upset on the court, it’s a good, old-fashioned, cringe-inducing scandal off of it. And folks, grab your popcorn, because the latest drama coming out of the tennis world is serving up a double fault of awkwardness involving Russian star Veronika Kudermetova, podcast host Elena Vesnina, and the man of the hour, Holger Rune.

We aren’t talking about a heated line call or a smashed racket here. We are talking about slid-into-DMs, “I thought the camera was off,” he-said-she-said messiness that makes you want to hide your face in a pillow from the sheer second-hand embarrassment of it all.

The “Private” Chat That Wasn’t So Private

Here is the setup: Kudermetova goes on the Spring is Calling podcast, hosted by former doubles World No. 1 Elena Vesnina. Standard stuff, right? Athletes do media rounds all the time. But things went sideways fast when a clip surfaced of Kudermetova spilling the tea on Holger Rune.

According to Kudermetova, Rune slid into her social media DMs. Her response? A swift shut-down. She claims she told the 22-year-old Dane that she was not only married (to her coach Sergei Demekhine, no less) but also “too old” for him. Ouch.

Now, here is where it gets spicy. Kudermetova is claiming foul play. She insists this little anecdote was shared while the cameras were setting up—essentially a “hot mic” moment that was never meant to see the light of day. She told reporters she was “really upset” and felt “ashamed” that a private conversation was broadcast to the world. And honestly? We get it. There is nothing worse than thinking you are gossiping with the girls, only to find out the whole internet is listening. Now, she says things are painfully awkward whenever she crosses paths with Rune at tournaments. He apparently doesn’t even greet her anymore. Can you blame him?

Vesnina Refuses to Take the L for the Leak

Usually, when a guest claims they were stitched up, the host issues a bland apology and deletes the clip. Not Elena Vesnina. She is standing her ground, and frankly, her defense is a masterclass in “not my problem.”

Vesnina’s camp is claiming that they discussed the comments with Kudermetova immediately after the interview wrapped. Her stance? “She didn’t tell us there was anything we couldn’t publish.” Essentially, Vesnina is arguing that if you didn’t want the world to know about Rune trying to score a date, you should have used your veto power before the upload button was hit.

Vesnina admitted the situation “got out of control,” but she completely rejects the idea that she threw her guest under the bus for clicks. It’s a classic case of editorial miscommunication, but it has resulted in one of the most uncomfortable locker room vibes in recent memory.

The Rune Romance Pattern? Enter Anna Kalinskaya

If this was an isolated incident, we might just write it off as a bad day at the office for everyone involved. But the plot thickens. This isn’t the first time Rune has been called out for his ambitious social media game.

Another Russian player, Anna Kalinskaya (who, coincidentally, has dated Jannik Sinner), recently dropped a similar bombshell. When pressed in an interview about whether ATP players ask her out, she hesitated before naming—you guessed it—Holger Rune. She even threw a little shade, noting that “he thinks too highly of himself.”

So, we have a pattern emerging. Rune seems to be treating the WTA tour like a dating app, and the ladies are not exactly swiping right. It paints a picture of a young guy who is perhaps a little too confident in his digital approach, leading to consecutive public rejections from high-profile colleagues.

The “Cultural Differences” Defense (And Why It’s Hilarious)

How does a man respond when multiple women publicly air out his failed attempts to woo them? If you are Holger Rune, you go with the “Cultural Differences” card.

After seeing the clip of Kalinskaya talking about him, Rune took to social media to clear the air. His defense was that there was a misunderstanding because of where they are from. “We might have cultural differences that make Anna read a comment on a story as an invitation to a date,” Rune wrote. He followed it up with a line that belongs in the Hall of Fame of defensive tweets: “If I want to go on a date, I ask for a date. Don’t worry.”

It’s a bold strategy. Essentially, “I wasn’t hitting on you, I’m just Danish and friendly!” Whether you buy that excuse or not is up to you, but you have to admire the attempt to spin a rejection into a linguistic misunderstanding.

What’s Next for the Injured Star?

To make matters worse for the Dane, he can’t even let his racket do the talking right now. Rune is currently sidelined with a nasty Achilles rupture suffered during the Stockholm Open. He heard a “pop,” and that was the end of his season.

So, he is stuck at home, recovering from a serious injury, while podcasts and interviews are circulating about his DM slide failures. It is a rough beat. Hopefully, his Achilles heals faster than his bruised ego. For now, the lesson for ATP players seems clear: maybe check the bio for “Married” before hitting send, and assume every microphone is always on.