Aryna Sabalenka ‘incredibly brave’ response to boyfriend’s tragic death

Aryna Sabalenka is being praised for an “incredibly brave” response to her boyfriend’s sudden death as the tennis world rallies around her.

Aryna Sabalenka is set to play the Miami Open just days after the shock death of her boyfriend.

The death of former NHL ice hockey player Konstantin Koltsov, Sabalenka’s boyfriend, is being treated as an “apparent suicide”, Miami-Dade Police said on Tuesday.

Police spokesman Argemis Colome said in an email that on Monday at 12:39am local time, 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.” Bal Harbour is a high-end district in the northern part of Miami Beach, known for a luxury shopping mall and plush accommodations.

Sabalenka frequently trains out of Miami and keeps a residence in the city. Two-time Grand Slam champion Sabalenka is scheduled to take part in the WTA and ATP Miami Open later this week.

There was no immediate indication of whether Sabalenka, who won the Australian Open in 2023 and retained her Melbourne title earlier this year, will continue with her schedule or withdraw from the tournament.

But the 25-year-old arrived at the tournament venue on Tuesday and practised with her coaching staff on an outside court.

Sabalenka is due to face the winner of the first-round match between Romanian Simona Halep and Spain’s Paola Badosa on Thursday or Friday.

Aryna Sabalenka training ahead of the Miami Open.

The World No. 2 hasn’t pulled out of the tournament.

The Tennis Letter account tweeted: “Aryna Sabalenka training in Miami. If anyone feels the need to judge her for playing, please stop.

“The grieving process is so much more complex than whatever your opinion is. She deserves kindness in her healing journey.”

One tennis fan described Sabalenka’s decision to contest the tournament as “incredibly brave”. “Before anyone may question her decision, people deal with grief differently and we should respect whatever decision she makes and support her regardless,” they said.

Aryna Sabalenka and partner Konstantin Koltsov.

American Jessica Pegula said the players were aware of the tragic news and offering support to Sabalenka.

“I think all of us all heard about it last night and then obviously there’s more news about it this morning, which was just really horrible,” she told reporters.

“All you can do is really offer support for however she wants to deal with it. You never know how someone is going to take it or how they want to grieve and everyone’s so different.

“So I think the best you can really do is just offer support. And you know, that’s really comforting. I hope for her to know, that even though we’re all competitors and we’re on kind of the stage where we’re trying to beat each other, at the same time, we’re still somewhat of a family,” she added.

Konstantin Koltsov’s death is being treated as an apparent suicide.

Koltsov’s death had earlier been confirmed by the Belarus hockey federation. “We are in mourning,” the federation said on its website.

“The Belarusian Hockey Federation expresses its deepest condolences to the family, friends, and everyone who knew and worked with Konstantin.” Koltsov’s playing career included a stint with the Pittsburgh Penguins in the NHL, where he made 144 appearances between 2003 and 2006.

“The Penguins extend their deepest condolences to the family and friends of former Penguins forward, Konstantin Koltsov,” the team said in a statement.

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.