Featured Image Credit: Getty & First&Red Podcast
Topics: Jannik Sinner, Tennis, US Open, Nick Kyrgios
Rory O'Callaghan
Topics: Jannik Sinner, Tennis, US Open, Nick Kyrgios
Jannik Sinner's ex-girlfriend claims another top 20 men's player slid into her DMs on numerous occasions before eventually giving up - prompting him to issue an immediate response on social media.
Russian tennis star Anna Kalinskaya, who is currently ranked 32nd in the world, started dating Sinner in May 2024.
Their relationship only lasted for a few months, with the pair taking a break to "better understand their future".
Sinner later confirmed he was single at the Italian Open in May of this year, and would go on to win Wimbledon in July.
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His most recent Grand Slam appearance ended in disappointment, with the Italian beaten in four sets by Carlos Alcaraz in the US Open final – with the Spaniard replacing him as world No 1 in the process.
Kalinskaya, meanwhile, reached the third round in New York before losing in straight sets to world No 2 Iga Swiatek.
Speaking after the tournament, Kalinskaya – who has also dated Australian star Nick Kyrgios in the past – was asked during a podcast appearance if she'd received any advances from other male celebrities.
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"Tennis players, more often than before," Kalinskaya told former tennis player Anna Chakvetadze on the First&Red podcast.
"Now I'm older, I don't know, for some there's no chance! No need to write.
"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.
"Maybe he's just desperate, but he's not the only one [to have messaged me]."
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World No 20 Rune quickly hit back at Kalinskaya's allegation, denying he ever attempted to set up a date.
The 22-year-old Dane posted on X: "Ha ha ha. We might have cultural differences that make Anna read a comment on a story as an invitation to a date.
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"If I want to go for a date, I ask for a date.
"Don't worry."
Kalinskaya was previously in a relationship with Kyrgios before the pair split up in 2020.
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The Australia caused major controversy in September of last year with a post, seemingly aimed at Kalinskaya and Sinner, after news of their own relationship became public.
Responding to a picture of himself and Kalinskaya posing at an NBA game while they were still dating, Kyrgios posted the phrase: "Second serve”, with fans on social media interpreting it as a dig at the couple.