THE GAME OF LOVE
Who was Aryna Sabalenka’s boyfriend Konstantin Koltsov?
This is not the first time she's experienced a tragic personal loss
TENNIS star Aryna Sabalenka's boyfriend and ex-NHL player Konstantin Koltsov has sadly passed away.
The Minsk-born star was 42 at the time of his death.
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Who is Aryna Sabalenka?
Aryna Sabalenka is a professional tennis player from Belarus.
She was born on May 5, 1998, in Minsk, the capital of Belarus.
Aryana began training at the National Tennis Academy in Minsk when it opened in 2014.
She has won 14 singles titles worldwide and became world No 1 for the first time on September 11, 2023.
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Before Sabalenka was linked to Koltsov, she was engaged to someone else but kept her fiancé's identity private.
The tennis player confirmed her engagement news in November 2019, saying: "It's just an engagement. I am little bit against weddings, against it as an event like it is."
Who was Aryna Sabalenka's boyfriend Konstantin Koltsov?
Koltsov was a former ice hockey player from Minsk, Belarus — the same city Sabalenka was born in.
He played professional ice hockey for 18 years and competed in the IIHF World Championships and the Winter Olympics in 2002 and 2010.
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He briefly played in the NHL for the Pittsburgh Penguins and competed in the Kontinental Hockey League from 2008 to 2016.
Koltsov had three children from a previous relationship.
His Instagram is private but he would regularly appear in pictures on Sabalenka's account.
On March 19, 2024, it was announced that Koltsov had passed away at 42.
His death was confirmed on the social messaging site Telegram via the account of his former club Salavat Yulaev Ufa.
"It is with deep sorrow that we inform you that the coach of Salavat Yulaev, Konstantin Koltsov, has passed away," the Russian club's statement read.
"He was a strong and cheerful person, he was loved and respected by players, colleagues, and fans. Konstantin Evgenievich forever wrote himself into the history of our club.
"Koltsov won the Russian Championship and the Gagarin Cup as part of Salavat Yulaev, and did a great job on the team’s coaching staff.
"May his memory burn bright."
His cause of death has not been revealed but according to it was reportedly from a 'detached blood clot'.
When did the couple first meet?
It is not known exactly when Aryana and Konstantin first met but they made their relationship official in June 2021.
Aryana confirmed their romance by sharing a picture online of Koltsov kissing her on the cheek as she smiled at the camera.
She wrote in the caption: "It's good when there is someone who is able to understand my madness, but you won't get bored with me, right @koltsov2021?"
Since then, Sabalenka gave her followers regular updates on her and Koltsov's life together, including pictures of their travels.
In May 2022, the couple travelled around Rome, Italy, and they also visited Florida together.
Ahead of Wimbledon 2023, the pair enjoyed a relaxing holiday in Mallorca, Spain.
Sabalenka, who was second-seed in Miami following her recent successful defence of the Australian Open title, has been withdrawn from practice schedules.
She suffered another tragedy five years ago when her father Sergey died suddenly at the age of 43.
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He was also a former ice hockey player.
Speaking last year, she said: "I lost my father four years ago. We had one dream, that before 25 I will win a couple of Grand Slams."
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