World No 2 Belarusian tennis star Aryna Sabalenka is mourning the death of her former partner and has requested privacy from everyone, including the media. Sabalenka, who had started dating former hockey player Konstantin Koltsov in 2021, mentioned that her heart is broken even though they were not together anymore and the loss is unthinkable.
"Konstantin's death is an unthinkable tragedy, and while we were no longer together, my heart is broken," Sabalenka wrote on her Instagram story. "Please respect my privacy and his family's privacy during this difficult time." However, the couple didn't publicly announce their break-up.
However, it is reported that Sabalenka will not pull out of the ongoing Miami Open and was seen practising in all black outfit on Tuesday, March 19. Sabalenka is set to play her close friend Paula Badosa in Round 2 on Friday, March 22 after getting a bye in the first round and the Spanish star realises that it will be a tough game for the two-time Grand Slam winner.
"She's [Sabalenka] one of my best friends. Of course, I know what she's going through. Honestly, for me it hasn't been easy, too. I really don't know what to say, honestly. She's a strong woman. I think she will get the power from somewhere," Badosa said on Tuesday.
In a suspected suicide, the 42-year-old Koltsov died Monday in Miami. Miami-Dade police spokesman Argemis Colome said in an email accessed by news agencies on Monday at 12:39 a.m. (0439 GMT), police "were dispatched to the St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort, in reference to a male that jumped from a balcony.
"The Miami-Dade Police Department, Homicide Bureau, responded and has taken over the investigation of the apparent suicide of Mr. Konstantin Koltsov. No foul play is suspected," the email read.
