 "Aryna Sabalenka plans on playing the Miami Open, with her first match against Paula Badosa. AP")
Aryna Sabalenka said she was “heartbroken” by the death of her ex-boyfriend Konstantin Koltsov in a statement on Wednesday. By virtue of the brief statement, she revealed they were not a couple at the time of his death.
“Konstantin’s death is an unthinkable tragedy, and while we were no longer together, my heart is broken. Please respect my privacy and his family’s privacy during this difficult time,” Sabalenka said in a statement, which was also shared on her Instagram account.
Koltsov, 42, a former ice hockey player and later coach, died on Monday with Miami police saying he had jumped from the balcony of a room in an resort in an “apparent suicide”.
The pair had been together for over three years according to media reports.
Sabalenka, 25, is due to play Paula Badosa in the second round of the Miami Open on Friday.
Badosa is a close-friend of Sabalenka’s and said the match would be “uncomfortable”.
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More Shorts“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. It’s a very tough situation,” she added.
“At the same point playing against her, it’s also uncomfortable.”
Players have expressed their support for the Belarusian , who on Tuesday practised on an outside court and has given no indication of withdrawing from the tournament.
Koltsov’s playing career included a stint with the Pittsburgh Penguins in the NHL, where he made 144 appearances between 2003 and 2006.
He also played for Belarus at two Winter Olympic Games – Salt Lake City in 2002 and Vancouver in 2010 – as well as nine world championships.
He had three children with his wife Julia, whom he divorced in 2020 before he began a relationship with Sabalenka.
(with inputs from AFP)