Holger Rune, the 22-year-old Danish tennis star ranked world No. 9, found himself at the center of an awkward off-court incident after reportedly messaging Veronika Kudermetova, the 28-year-old Russian Wimbledon 2025 women’s doubles champion. Speaking on a podcast hosted by former Russian player Elena Vesnina, Kudermetova revealed that Rune had privately texted her, prompting her to gently rebuff him by pointing out her marital status and age difference. “Rune recently texted me,” she said. “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.”
Kudermetova, ranked No. 42 in singles and No. 5 in doubles, has been married to her coach, Sergei Demekhine, 41, since 2017, a fact well-documented on her social media. The six-year age gap between her and Rune, combined with her long-term marriage, made Rune’s message—presumed to be flirtatious—unexpected. Kudermetova’s response, delivered with humor and grace, highlighted her commitment to Demekhine, who has coached her since 2012 and guided her to doubles success, including her Wimbledon title with Elise Mertens in July 2025.
The incident, first reported by outlets like Express.co.uk and The Mirror on July 31, 2025, stirred buzz on X, where users like @TennisLegende and @settenisok shared Kudermetova’s comments, amplifying the story. One X post from @borrowedlove91 claimed Rune was upset by a parody account exposing the exchange, though this remains unverified. Rune, known for his fiery on-court demeanor and breakout 2022 Paris Masters win over Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz, has not publicly addressed the allegations. His current relationship status with Caroline Donzella, a Dutch-Italian real estate agent he began dating in 2023, is unclear, as recent reports suggest they may have parted ways.
Both players are competing at the 2025 Canadian Open, with Rune advancing past Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard (7-6(7), 6-3) in Toronto and Kudermetova defeating Olga Danilovic in straight sets in Montreal before facing top seed Coco Gauff. The incident has added a layer of intrigue to Rune’s off-court narrative, contrasting his rising ATP stardom with a misstep that Kudermetova handled diplomatically. While the exchange appears to have been a misunderstanding, it underscores the challenges of navigating personal interactions in the high-profile tennis world.
