Konstantin Koltsov, the boyfriend of world number 2 tennis player Aryna Sabalenka, “committed suicide” Monday evening after jumping from a hotel balcony in Miami, police confirmed.
The 42-year-old Belarusian, who played hockey for the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins, was announced dead on Tuesday by his former club Salavat Yulaev Ufa on the social messaging site Telegram.
Reports in Belarus claim that Koltsov, who was dating Australian Open Champion Sabalenka, 25, was three years dead from a “loose clot” before Florida police revealed he “jumped from a balcony” at a five-star resort. Authorities in Miami have taken over the investigation as an “apparent suicide.”
The Miami Police Department told Mail Sport in a statement on Tuesday: “According to investigators, on Monday, March 18, 2024, at approximately 12:39 a.m., Bal Harbor Police and Fire Department were dispatched to the St Regis Bal Harbor Resort, 9703 Collins Avenue, in reference to a male who jumped from a balcony.
“The Miami-Dade Police Department, Homicide Bureau, responded and took over the investigation into the apparent suicide of Mr. Konstantin Koltsov (04/17/1981). No foul play is suspected.
Aryna Sabalenka’s boyfriend Konstantin Koltsov ‘died by suicide,’ Miami police confirm
Koltsov was supporting Sabalenka in Florida as she prepared for the upcoming Miami Open
Police revealed Koltsov jumped from balcony at St Regis Bal Harbor Resort
Koltsov played for the Pittsburgh Penguins and represented Belarus at two Winter Olympics.
Koltsov was in Florida to support Sabalenka ahead of the upcoming Miami Open.
Despite Kolstov’s surprise death, the two-time Australian Open champion still intends to play the tournament in the Sunshine State, where she is seeded second, according to the Tennis chain.
Confirming Koltsov’s death on social media, the Russian hockey club paid tribute to the Belarusian and said: “It is with deep sadness that we inform you of the death of Salavat Yulaev coach Konstantin Koltsov.
“He was a strong and cheerful person, he was loved and respected by players, colleagues and fans. Konstantin was forever written in the history of our club.
“Koltsov won the Russian Championship and the Gagarin Cup with Salavat Yulaev and did an excellent job as part of the team’s technical staff.
“May his memory shine.”
The death of the world number two’s partner comes just five years after the player lost his father Sergey following his sudden death at 43.
Like Koltsov, Sabalenka’s father had also played professional hockey, and the Belarusian athlete often spoke of the motivation his father’s death inspired in his tennis game.
After winning her second Australian Open title in January, Sabalenka achieved a feat she previously discussed in an episode of the Netflix tennis documentary series Break Point.
The investigation into Koltsov’s “apparent suicide” at the hotel and spa has been taken over by Miami authorities, a statement confirmed Tuesday afternoon.
His death on Monday evening was confirmed by his former ice hockey club Salavat Yulaev Ufa
The 42-year-old frequently traveled with his 25-year-old girlfriend while she competed globally.
Koltsov’s tragic death comes just five years after world number two lost father Sergei
“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.”
Sabalenka and Koltsov have reportedly been together for three years, having first been linked in June 2021.
The former hockey player and assistant coach was not only a frequent guest in his player’s dressing room on tour, but also a devoted boyfriend on social media, where he often shared messages of love and support – most recently during of International Women’s Day two weeks ago.
Sabalenka has also very publicly expressed her love for Koltsov on social media. “I love you @koltsov2021,” she wrote in a post that included a heart and other emojis.
‘Happy Birthday my love. You are my dearest person, my best friend and my greatest support. Peace be with you, strength, patience and health.
“I hope we get everything we planned, I love you.”
The start of the couple’s relationship in 2021 might have been more rocky than it first appeared, with Koltsov’s ex-wife Julija appearing to implicate the sportsman in the breakdown of her marriage.
In a post announcing her divorce from Koltsov in 2020, Julija — who shares sons Daniel, Alexander and Stefan with her former husband — decried “girls who cling to people’s husbands” in her pointed caption.
“And now we will see who reads the messages (wink emoji, raised laugh emoji). We live in a world of social networks and too many questions have accumulated… This will be the last photo with him on my insta where we are together and where we were incredibly happy!!! (heart emoji)’, Julija wrote.
“Our marriage is about to be a damn dozen. And we broke up. (broken heart emoji) Our family couldn’t survive a year without Constantine’s work, a baby (respectively sleepless nights and fatigue (saddened emoji ) and coronavirus (feverish emoji) It happens… And it hurts. For some partners anyway! That’s it! (Konstantin has his own Instagram)
‘I’m asking you to write to him directly now (laugh-relief emoji, wink emoji) and yes – we broke up – so we moved! (this should explain the new apartment).
‘And a call to all the girls who cling to other people’s husbands and have children in the family!!! It’s mean !!!! This is the most amazing and happy moment, but at the same time the most difficult, because a small child requires a lot of energy, energy and time… Maybe one day you will be there Also…’
Koltsov and Sabalenka recently shared their affection for each other on social media, with the former paying tribute to his girlfriend on International Women’s Day this year.
Koltsov’s ex-wife Julija previously accused Sabalenka of being involved in the breakdown of her marriage, sharing a photo of her and the ice hockey star together.
Koltsov and his ex-wife shared three sons – who Sabalenka seemed to get closer to
In the photo of her kissing her soon-to-be ex-husband, she tagged Sabalenka, in an apparent indictment of the 21-year-old’s role in the end of her marriage.
Neither Sabalenka nor Koltsov addressed this topic either then or later when they made their relationship public, and the couple’s relationship has since seen Sabalenka develop a connection with her boyfriend’s children.
The player has previously shared photos of Kolstov’s youngest son Stefan on her Instagram page, and in a Q&A hosted on the site, she suggested in 2022 that she “guessed” that she ” would make an amazing mother-in-law.”
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.