Konstantin Koltsov, a 42-year-old former Belarusian ice hockey champion who was engaged to tennis star Aryna Sabalenka, committed suicide and was found dead at a Miami resort after falling from a balcony. This was announced by Miami-Dade police, explaining that the case was being treated as an “apparent suicide” and that there was no evidence of the involvement of other people.
![Sabalenka and Kolkov](https://www.rainews.it/resizegd/768x-/dl/img/2024/03/19/1710825710862_vlcsnaphms.png)
Sabalenka and Kolkov
For the unfortunate tennis player, number 2 in the rankings and also Belarusian, it was like reliving a tragedy: in 2019, at the age of 44, her father, another former ice hockey player, died of complications of an illness. Koltsov had played for the Pittsburgh Penguins in the North American NHL, making 144 appearances between 2003 and 2006, and for the Belarusian national team at the 2002 Salt Lake City and 2010 Vancouver Games. He had three children with his wife Julia, from whom he divorced. before starting the relationship with Sabalenka.
The organizers of the tennis tournament announced that the Belarusian champion
she plans to participate in the tournament because other tennis players have offered her support following the death of her boyfriend.
Despite this tragic event, Sabalenka, two-time Grand Slam winner, did not give up training at the Hard Rock Stadium of the Miami Open on Tuesday afternoon. The 25-year-old from Minsk, who won the Australian Open in 2023 and retained her title in Melbourne earlier this year, will face Spaniard Paula Badosa in the second round.
![Sabalenka and Koltsov](https://www.rainews.it/resizegd/768x-/dl/img/2024/03/19/1710827019881_vlcsnaphms.png)
Sabalenka and Koltsov