Holger Rune's ex 'who distracted him', leaked text to married tennis ace, new date denial

Holger Rune is one of the biggest prospects in men's tennis, but it's the youngster's romantic exploits that have landed him in the headlines of late. That's after a fellow pro alleged the "hopeless" 22-year-old, who will represent Team Europe at this weekend's Laver Cup, messaged her "like 10 times."

Rune has since rejected those claims and insisted his advances were purely platonic. The Dane has been counted for some time as one of the next-gen talents to keep an eye on in men's tennis, but his graft off the court has become almost as intriguing as his play on it. And this isn't the first time the Scandinavian has become the subject of public interest regarding his dating history. Express Sport breaks down some of the key details from Rune's romantic side, including one attempt to woo another tennis star who is already married.

Estate agent ex blamed for poor form

After a torrid run of form saw Rune win just one match in a three-month span back in 2023, commentators searched to discover the cause behind his capitulation. And certain reports came up with one answer: Caroline Donzella.

The beautiful brunette, who works as an estate agent in Monte Carlo, went public with Rune in mid-2023, though their relationship is understood to have ended later that year. That being said, it didn't take long for the tennis star to reject the notion his girlfriend at the time was behind his on-court struggles.

"Caroline is not to blame for my poor performance," he told Swedish newspaper Expressen in 2023. "That is only my responsibility. People only want to look for external factors and blame others, but only I am responsible."

Rune's mother and agent, Aneke, also came to Caroline's defence while discussing her son's love life and any potential impact it was having on his play. And she stood firm in her position the influencer had nothing to do with his dip.

"I have seen that many have written that it is because Holger has got a girlfriend," she told Danish daily BT. "There I can say with 100% certainty that he hasn't lost focus because of her anyway. He clearly still has tennis as his priority. That's what puts him in a good mood."

Rejected by married pro

A little bit of research goes a long way. And that goes double when it comes to courting people who are already off the market.

Still, Rune supposedly didn't do his due diligence before reaching out to Veronika Kudermetova with a proposition. And the Russian tennis star was swift in her rebuttal, informing the two-time French Open quarter-finalist she wouldn't be dating anyone other than her husband.

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"Rune recently texted me," Kudermetova told compatriot and fellow pro Elena Vesnina on her podcast in July of this year. "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."

As if the six-year age gap between the pair wasn't enough of an obstacle. In turn, Rune may think twice about messaging certain romantic targets without checking their relationship status in future.

Anna Kalinskaya text claims refuted

The latest story off the Rune romance conveyor belt concerns Jannike Sinner's ex-partner, Anna Kalinskaya, who has claimed the youngster pestered her on social media before accepting his fate. However, he and Kalinskaya view their online exchange very differently.

"Tennis players, more often before," she said during an appearance on earlier in September when asked if she is ever propositioned by ATP players. "Now I'm older, I don't know, so...For some, it's just no chance at all, no need to write. Someone wrote like 10 times and then gave up."

When pushed to give up a name, the Russian was reluctant before confessing: "I'll say it now, but just... 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!"

It didn't take Rune long at all to issue a response in an effort to clear his name. And the Dane suggested he had no romantic intentions when he reached out to his peer.

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

Dating app distress

Despite any setbacks he may have encountered, Rune isn't one to give up on love so easily. And he's keeping his options open by using dating apps to attract potential suitors.

Not that he's had much luck so far, that is. In fact, he sounded almost dismayed by what he had seen in his online experiences to date, stating his preference is to form a connection with someone in person if possible.

"Not really, but I do have an app," he told fellow pro Ajla Tomljanovic during a segment on the Tennis Channel. "It's tough.

"I haven't found anyone interesting so far. I think it's much better to meet someone in real life."