Anna Kalinskaya has declared she is open to the idea of finding love on tour, after revealing that a top-20 star repeatedly messaged her before being rejected.
The 26-year-old Russian, previously in high-profile relationships with outgoing world No 1 Jannik Sinner[1] and fiery Australian Nick Kyrgios[2], has again found herself in the headlines after discussing her private life in a new interview.
Kalinskaya said that several ATP players have tried their luck in her direct messages, with one sending as many as ten attempts. That player was later identified as Holger Rune, the world No 11, whose persistence has already caused a stir across the sport.
Rune has since pushed back, insisting his messages were misunderstood, but the row has ensured that Kalinskaya’s private life has become one of the most talked-about stories in tennis.
But far from being put off by the idea of tour romance, Kalinskaya believes relationships can actually help players if they are healthy and built on maturity.
‘No, I think it lifts you up if it is a healthy relationship and emotionally both people are mature and understand what is good for their partner, what is bad and they don’t try to feed their own ego or some other qualities, then love definitely does not get in the way,’ she said on the First&Red podcast[3].
Anna Kalinskaya has declared she is open to the idea of finding love on tour, after revealing that a top-20 star repeatedly messaged her before being rejected
The Russian star was previously dating world No 1 Jannik Sinner. The pair are pictured here sharing a kiss at the US Open in September 2024
One of the players Kalinskaya outed is world No 11 Holger Rune, who she claimed sent her ‘ten’ messages in an attempt to spark up a romance
Kalinskaya also spoke about the pressures of being in a relationship with another high-profile player.
‘As much as possible. I tried and my partner also tried. But it’s hard to avoid when two people are famous and there are difficulties because of that too. It’s impossible to just go out on the street or go out for dinner calmly. Every time you’ll think twice whether to go somewhere or not.’
And she rejected suggestions that agents influence a player’s personal life, adding: ‘Agents do not have nothing to do with relationships. Work is work, personal life is personal life. Off court it’s different, no one decides for us.’
Kalinskaya’s views carry added intrigue because of her previous romances with two of the sport’s top stars. In 2020 she was linked to Kyrgios, with the pair often seen supporting each other at matches and even attending an NBA game together.
The relationship ended within months, with Kalinskaya later delivering a blunt assessment on Instagram Live, telling him: ‘You are not a bad boy, you are simply a bad person.’
By 2024 she was dating Sinner, then on the rise towards becoming the world’s top-ranked player. Their relationship became public when she congratulated him with a kiss after his US Open triumph last September, though rumours of a split surfaced before the end of the year.
Sinner confirmed he was single and later suggested that his career required stability, saying he wanted a relationship to enter his life ‘naturally’.
Kalinskaya’s revelations about Rune have only amplified interest in her life off court. The Dane was singled out as the player who had sent repeated messages.
Appearing on the First&Red podcast with Anna Chakvetadze, Kalinskaya revealed she’s had a few stars slide into her DMs
The 26-year-old also dated Australian Nick Kyrgios back in 2021. Here they’re pictured at an NBA game together
She is now thought to be back with her ex boyfriend Tomas Ferrari, who she dated in 2021
‘Someone wrote like 10 times and then gave up,’ she said. ‘I’ll say who it is now, Holger Rune. He writes to everyone. He thinks too much of himself. Maybe he’s just desperate, but he’s not the only one [to have messaged me].’
Rune responded swiftly on X, claiming cultural differences had caused confusion and that his comments were not meant as an invitation to 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 for a date, I ask for a date. Don’t worry,’ he wrote.
Despite the fallout, Kalinskaya reiterated that love does not have to interfere with performance, saying it can even provide extra strength when both partners support each other.
For now she appears to have found stability again. While she declined to name him directly in her podcast appearance, she is believed to have rekindled her relationship with Tomas Ferrari, a businessman she dated in 2021.
He has been spotted courtside at several tournaments this season, including Madrid, Indian Wells and Miami, and is the owner of Bella the dog who has been pictured celebrating with Kalinskaya on court in Washington[4].
Pressed about her current partner, Kalinskaya confirmed only that he was not an athlete but worked in finance.
‘I don’t think I could be with a person who has zero interest in my profession, but he loves sports,’ she said.
References
- ^ Jannik Sinner (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Nick Kyrgios (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ First&Red podcast (www.youtube.com)
- ^ pictured celebrating with Kalinskaya on court in Washington (www.dailymail.co.uk)