Sabalenka: ‘Heart is broken’ by ex-accomplice’s death

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Aryna Sabalenka on Wednesday addressed the death of her feeble accomplice Konstantin Koltsov with a assertion posted to her Instagram sage and released by her agent.

“Konstantin’s death is an unthinkable tragedy, and whereas we were now not together, my coronary heart is broken,” Sabalenka wrote. “Please appreciate my privacy and his family’s privacy all over this sophisticated time.”

Koltsov, a retired authentic hockey participant who represented Belarus on the 2002 and 2010 Olympic Games and became a feeble member of the Pittsburgh Penguinsdied Monday in Miami in what police ruled an apparent suicide.

Sabalenka and Koltsov started dating in 2021 and had now not publicly revealed that they had broken up. Koltsov, 42, had three children from a old relationship.

Sabalenka, the enviornment No. 2 and two-time reigning Australian Open champion, remained within the Miami Open draw following the ideas of Koltsov’s death and practiced on the tournament Tuesday, carrying all gloomy. It became reported she would now not be withdrawing from the tournament but would now not be talking to the media all around the tournament. She is slated to commence play against shut buddy Paula Badosa on Friday within the second round after receiving a indispensable-round bye.

“She’s one of my greatest online page online visitors,” Badosa acknowledged Tuesday of Sabalenka. “In spite of all the issues, I do know what she’s going thru. Truthfully, for me it hasn’t been easy, too. I if truth be told assemble now not know what to claim, if truth be told. She’s an spectacular lady. I mediate she is going to get the energy from somewhere.”