Aryna Sabalenka's boyfriend Konstantin Koltsov dies in Miami, aged 42

Aryna Sabalenka, who is the second best tennis player in the world, has experienced a sudden and very sad loss. Her boyfriend, Konstantin Koltsov, who used to play international ice-hockey, passed away at the young age of 42.

It's tragic news that Sabalenka has lost someone dear to her at such a young age for the second time. Her father, Sergey, who was also a former ice-hockey player, had passed away in the year 2019 at the age of 43.

Koltsov accompanied Sabalenka to Florida for the Miami Open, which was set to take place this week. As of now, Sabalenka's name is still included in the event's schedule.

Koltsov, who was a forward, represented Belarus in both the 2002 and 2010 Olympic Games. He also played for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League for some portions of three seasons from 2002 to 2006. Although it is not yet confirmed, there are reports that his demise might have been due to a pulmonary embolism.

With great sadness, we regret to inform you that Konstantin Koltsov, the coach for Salavat Yulaev, has passed away. This announcement was made by Salavat Yulaev, which is located in the city of Ufa in Russia.

He was a person who exuded strength and positivity. He was cherished and held in high regard by his teammates, colleagues, and fans. Konstantin Evgenievich left a permanent mark in the annals of our club’s history.

Let him find eternal peace.

Koltsov, who is well-known for his quickness on the ice, claimed the Russian Super League championship alongside Salavat Yulaev back in 2008. He has since come back to the team as a helper coach.

According to People magazine, Sabalenka and Koltsov first became associated in June of this year, and she has often shared pictures of them as a couple on her Instagram page.

One post written by her consisted of heart and other emojis along with the declaration of love, "@koltsov2021, I adore you."

"Sending you the warmest birthday wishes, my beloved. You hold a special place in my heart as my closest companion and pillar of strength. May you continue to experience inner tranquility, resilience, endurance, and good health."

I am hopeful that all our plans will come to fruition. My affection for you is immense.

It is said that Koltsov had three kids in the past with another partner. Additionally, Koltsov praised Sabalenka for winning the Australian Open for the second year in a row this past January.

Netflix’s documentary series Break Point has highlighted the sorrowful story of Sabalenka’s father Sergey’s demise. The first episode of season two with the title ‘The Curse’ was shown after Sabalenka had triumphed in her first grand slam at the outset of last year. During this episode, the cameras captured her conversation with her mother over the phone.

"Mum, please don't cry. I'm getting emotional, and there are cameras recording me right now," Sabalenka reassured her mother. "Please, don't bring up Dad. It's really upsetting."

In a voice note translated from her language, she said, "My mother was in tears as she spoke about how proud my father would be of me."

It's truly disheartening as I desire for his presence and yearn to dial his number to hear his response.

"At this moment, his last name is engraved on that prize, and it holds significant meaning."

During the first season of Break Point, Sabalenka shared about how her father's passing affected her and how she wished to devote her professional career to remember him.

Four years ago, my father passed away. We both had a shared aspiration - to win a few grand slam titles before I hit the age of 25, she expressed.

"I've been fixating on his death a lot lately, and now that I'm 24, I find myself penniless."

The section in the blog called 'The Curse' got its name because almost all of the 10 players featured in the Netflix tennis series were eliminated from the 2023 Australian Open within the first week. The episode then solely focused on the last remaining star in the singles draw, Sabalenka, and the rest of her successful campaign in the tournament. During the series' debut at the beginning of this year, Sabalenka joked and asked, "What is this so-called Netflix curse?"