World number two Aryna Sabalenka said in a statement on Wednesday that she was “heartbroken” over the death of her ex-boyfriend Konstantin Koltsov, revealing they were not a couple at the time of his death couple. Sabalenka said in a statement released by her agent: “Constantine’s death is an unimaginable tragedy and although we are no longer together, my heart is broken. At this difficult time At this time, please respect my privacy and that of his family.” Koltsov died on Monday in what Miami police said was an “apparent suicide” after he jumped from the balcony of a room at the resort.

Koltsov is a former NHL ice hockey player and later a coach. He is 42 years old.

According to media reports, he has been in a relationship with Sabalenka for more than three years.

The 25-year-old two-time Grand Slam winner Sabalenka will face Spain’s Paola Badosa in the second round of the Miami Open on Friday.

Badosa, a close friend of Sabalenka, said the match would be “uncomfortable.”

“I knew the whole situation and what was going on. It was also a bit of a shock for me to go through it because ultimately she’s my best friend and I didn’t want her to suffer. It was a very tough situation, ” she added.

“It’s also very uncomfortable to compete against her at the same time.”

WTA players expressed support for the Belarusian, who trained on outdoor courts on Tuesday and showed no signs of withdrawing from the tournament.

Koltsov’s career included playing for the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins, where he played 144 times from 2003 to 2006.

He also represented Belarus at two Winter Olympics (Salt Lake City 2002 and Vancouver 2010) and nine World Championships.

He has three children with his wife, Julia, whom he divorced in 2020 before his romance with Sabalenka

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