The Miami Open match scheduled for Sabalenka was postponed by one day due to the passing of her ex-boyfriend Koltsov.
For the first time since Konstantin Koltsov’s apparent suicide, tennis world number two Aryna Sabalenka made a comment regarding her former boyfriend’s passing, calling it a “unthinkable tragedy.”
The Miami-Dade police department acknowledged on Tuesday that they had responded to a call regarding a man reportedly jumping off a balcony at a Miami resort the previous day. No signs of foul play were reported by the authorities.
The Miami Open was rocked by the news of former professional ice hockey player Koltsov’s passing.
Through her public relations representatives, Sabalenka released a statement on Wednesday saying, “Konstantin’s death is an unthinkable tragedy, and while we were no longer together, my heart is broken.” “During this trying time, please respect the privacy of his family and me.”
Women’s Tennis Association players have shown their support for the Belarusian player, who practised on an outdoor court on Tuesday and has not indicated that she will withdraw from the competition.
Sabalenka’s close buddy Badosa predicted that the match would be “uncomfortable.”
During his playing career, Koltsov played for the Pittsburgh Penguins in the NHL, making 144 appearances between 2003 and 2006. He also represented Belarus at two Winter Olympic Games, in Salt Lake City in 2002 and Vancouver in 2010, as well as nine world championships. “I know the entire situation, what is happening. That for me is a little bit shocking also to go through that because at the end she’s my best friend, and I don’t want her to suffer,” she continued.