- The two last met on court in fourth place at Roland Garros 2023
- Sabalenka already lost her father five years ago in 2019, aged just 43.
Former world number three Sloane Stephens has reportedly shared her heartbreak upon learning of the death of compatriot Aryna Sabalenka’s boyfriend Konstantin Koltsov.
The 42-year-old reportedly died in Miami of an “apparent suicide,” according to the Miami-Dade Police Department, despite earlier reports from Sabalenka’s homeland of Belarus claiming a blood clot broke loose was the cause of death.
Koltsov was a former professional hockey player and coach, most recently an assistant coach at Russian club Salavat Yulaev Ufa – who paid tribute to his passing with a public statement and a shrine set up outside the Ufa Arena.
The couple are believed to have been together for almost three years after first being linked in June 2021, with Koltsov sharing a touching message in support of Sabalenka on International Women’s Day two weeks ago.
After her death was announced Monday evening, Stephens was one of the first on the WTA Tour to reference the tragedy, sharing her thoughts on social media site X (formerly Twitter).
Sloane Stephens (right) appeared to share her thoughts on the shock death of Aryna Sabalenka’s boyfriend, Konstantin Koltsov.
The 42-year-old reportedly died from a dislodged blood clot while in Miami.
The 2017 US Open champion appeared to address the tragedy that unfolded Monday evening.
“That moment when you can actually feel the pain in your chest hearing or seeing something that breaks your heart,” Stephens wrote, adding a broken heart emoji.
At the time of writing, Koltsov’s death had not yet been confirmed, but speculation was circulating on the site – which may have prompted Stephens’ post.
The players last met on court at Roland Garros 2023, a fourth-round clash that saw Sabalenka hold on in the first set tiebreak to claim the 7-6 (7-5) victory. 6-4.
At the time, the Belarusian praised her “tough opponent” for creating a “nightmare” for her to fight against.
The two had met three times before, with the 25-year-old beating the 2017 US Open champion in each of their meetings.
Stephens’ thoughtful message may have referenced not only the tragedy of Koltsov’s death in his statement, but also the fact that it comes so soon after Sabalenka lost her father in heartbreaking circumstances.
The player’s late father Sergey – who was also a former professional hockey player – died suddenly in 2019 aged just 43.
Koltsov’s club Salavat Yulaev paid tribute to its late assistant coach with a statement and memorial at the Ufa Arena
The former ice hockey player and coach shared his love for the world number two on International Women’s Day.
The 25-year-old is in Miami ahead of the Miami Open, which she was scheduled to play on Friday.
The two-time Australian Open champion’s mourning comes just five years after the sudden death of her late father Sergey.
In January of this year, Sabalenka achieved a feat that she previously discussed in an episode of the Netflix tennis documentary series, Break Point.
“We had a dream: before the age of 25, I will win a few Grand Slam tournaments,” said the 24-year-old. “Now I’m 24 and there’s nothing in my pocket.”
Koltsov played in the NHL with the Pittsburgh Penguins as well as clubs in Russia and Belarus during his playing career, and competed in two Winter Olympics in 2002 and 2010.
Before joining Viktor Kozlov’s team at Ufa, Koltsov also coached at Brest and Dinamo Maladzyechna, and was an assistant at Dinamo Minsk and Spartak Moscow.
For help, call Samaritans on 116123 in the UK or visit www.samaritans.org Or www.thecalmzone.net/get-supportor call Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 in the United States.
