US Edition
Aryna Sabalenka and long-term boyfriend had split before his death
Sources confirmed to Telegraph Sport that relationship between pair had come to an end, with the player also confirming via Instagram
Tennis champion Aryna Sabalenka was no longer in a relationship with Konstantin Koltsov at the time of the ice hockey star’s death on Sunday.
Koltsov, 42, died in what Miami-Dade police have described in a statement as an “apparent suicide”.
The same statement said that officers were called to a luxury resort near Miami Beach in the small hours of Monday morning “in reference to a male that jumped from a balcony”.
Koltsov had been a visible presence in Sabalenka’s team for a couple of seasons, regularly attending tournaments, and being captured in Netflix’s Break Point documentary about the 2023 Australian Open.
Yet the relationship had lapsed, four different sources within the tennis circuit told Telegraph Sport on Wednesday night before Sabalenka said on Instagram: “Konstantin’s death is an unthinkable tragedy, and while we were no longer together, my heart is broken. Please respect my privacy and his family’s privacy during this difficult time.”
Meanwhile, an interview with Koltsov’s ex-wife Julija Mikhailova has appeared in Belarusian media. Mikhailova said that her ex-husband had fallen from the 23rd floor of the St Regis Bal Harbour Resort.
She also suggested that the fall could have been accidental, on the grounds that “most likely he was very drunk. Unfortunately, hockey players are sometimes guilty of this.
“Empty alcohol bottles were found in the room where Konstantin stayed,” added Mikhailova, who was the mother of Koltsov’s three children. “There was a balcony overlooking the ocean. Probably Konstantin did not keep track of his actions.
“We still have the old family computer with Konstantin’s email. I knew the passwords and managed to open some emails. Konstantin had further booked apartments in a different location. Purchases that have not yet arrived have been paid for. He rented a car for a long time.
“That is, he did not intend to die. Anything, of course, can go to your head, but there was no sign of tragedy.”
Sabalenka continues to practise at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami in preparation for her opening match on Friday.