Tennis world number 2 Sabalenka heartbroken over Konstantin Koltsov’s death
Al Jazeera
Sabalenka’s match at the Miami Open moved back by a day following the death of her former boyfriend Koltsov.
Tennis world number two Aryna Sabalenka has described the death of her former boyfriend as an “unthinkable tragedy” as she commented for the first time since the apparent suicide of Konstantin Koltsov.
The Miami-Dade police department confirmed on Tuesday that they had responded to a call the day before at a Miami resort about reports of a man jumping off a balcony. The police said no foul play was suspected.
The news of former professional ice hockey player Koltsov’s death sent a shockwave through the Miami Open.
“Konstantin’s death is an unthinkable tragedy, and while we were no longer together, my heart is broken,” Sabalenka said in a statement through her publicists on Wednesday. “Please respect my privacy and his family’s privacy during this difficult time.”
Players on the Women’s Tennis Association 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.
