When Sliding Into DMs Goes Wrong: Anna Kalinskaya Exposes Tennis’s Most Persistent Romeo

Well, well, well. Just when you thought the tennis world couldn’t get any more dramatic, Anna Kalinskaya decided to spill some serious tea about which players have been sliding into her DMs like it’s a doubles match they’re desperate to win.

The Russian tennis star, who’s currently ranked 32nd in the world and has quite the dating resume (more on that later), recently appeared on the First&Red podcast where she dropped some bombshells that had the tennis community buzzing faster than a Serena Williams serve.

The DM Drama: Kalinskaya Names and Shames

During her podcast appearance, Kalinskaya didn’t hold back when asked about advances from male celebrities. With the kind of brutal honesty that would make Gordon Ramsay proud, she revealed that tennis players have been sliding into her messages “more often than before.”

But here’s where it gets spicy – she actually named names. According to Kalinskaya, Denmark’s Holger Rune, currently ranked 20th in the world, tried his luck not once, not twice, but ten whole times before finally giving up.

“Someone wrote like 10 times and then gave up. I’ll say who it is now, Holger Rune. He writes to everyone. He thinks too much of himself,” she said with the kind of savage delivery that would make reality TV producers weep with joy.

Ouch. That’s gotta sting more than a backhand winner down the line.

Rune’s Swift Response: Cultural Differences or Damage Control?

World No. 20 Holger Rune wasn’t about to let this slide without a response. The 22-year-old Dane quickly took to X (formerly Twitter) with what can only be described as the most diplomatic way of saying “that’s not what happened.”

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

Now, that’s either a masterclass in damage control or the most polite way of calling someone delusional. You decide.

The Pattern: It’s Not Just Kalinskaya

But wait, there’s more. This isn’t the first time Rune has found himself in hot water over alleged DM sliding. Russian player Veronika Kudermetova previously claimed that Rune had messaged her, only stopping when she mentioned she was married.

“Rune recently texted me,” Kudermetova had revealed. “I told him, ‘Boy, I’m probably too old for you. If you looked at my Instagram, you’d see I have a husband.’ He replied, ‘Oh, sorry.’ Since then, he doesn’t even say hello to me anymore.”

Starting to see a pattern here? Either Rune has the worst luck with misunderstandings, or there’s some serious thirst happening in the tennis world.

Kalinskaya’s Love Life: A Tennis Who’s Who

Let’s be real – Kalinskaya knows her way around the ATP tour when it comes to romance. She previously dated Australia’s Nick Kyrgios before that relationship ended in 2020. Then, in May 2024, she started dating Italy’s golden boy Jannik Sinner.

Their relationship lasted just a few months, with the pair taking a break to “better understand their future” – which is probably the most mature breakup statement we’ve ever heard from the tennis world. Sinner confirmed he was single at the Italian Open in May, and went on to win Wimbledon in July. Talk about channeling your emotions into your game.

The Kyrgios Connection: Second Serve Drama

Speaking of Kyrgios, he couldn’t resist stirring the pot when news of Kalinskaya and Sinner’s relationship went public. The Australian posted a picture of himself and Kalinskaya from their dating days with the caption “Second serve” – a dig so obvious it might as well have been written in neon lights.

Because apparently, when you’re Nick Kyrgios, subtlety isn’t part of your game plan.

The Real Question: Is This Tennis’s New Normal?

What’s fascinating about this whole drama is how it reflects the changing landscape of professional tennis. Social media has made these athletes more accessible than ever, but it’s also created situations where private interactions become public spectacles.

Kalinskaya’s willingness to call out players publicly shows a shift in how female athletes are handling unwanted attention. Instead of suffering in silence, she’s putting these guys on blast, and honestly? Good for her.

The fact that she mentioned Rune “writes to everyone” suggests this might be more common than we think. Are we looking at tennis’s version of a serial DM slider? The evidence is certainly mounting.

The Aftermath: Lessons in Digital Etiquette

Rune’s response, while diplomatically worded, raises some interesting questions. If he was just commenting on Instagram stories, why did Kalinskaya interpret it as romantic interest? And if she’s wrong, why has this happened with multiple female players?

The truth probably lies somewhere in the middle. Maybe Rune’s “comments” were a bit too friendly, and maybe Kalinskaya was reading between the lines. But when multiple women are telling similar stories, you’ve got to wonder if there’s some fire behind all that smoke.

The Bottom Line: Tennis Drama Serves Up Entertainment

At the end of the day, this whole situation is peak tennis drama – messy, public, and absolutely entertaining. Kalinskaya has shown she’s not afraid to speak her mind, Rune has learned that social media interactions can be interpreted in unexpected ways, and we’ve all been reminded that professional athletes are just as awkward at dating as the rest of us.

Whether you believe Kalinskaya’s version or Rune’s explanation, one thing is clear: the tennis world just got a lot more interesting. And somewhere, Nick Kyrgios is probably laughing at all the drama he’s no longer part of.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go check if any professional athletes are sliding into my DMs. Spoiler alert: they’re not.