The death of Aryna Sabalenka's boyfriend and former professional hockey player, Konstantin Koltsov, has been ruled a suicide by Miami police after a few days of investigation.
According to the authorities, the 42-year-old jumped from a balcony of a room at the St. Regis Bal Harbour in Miami, where Sabalenka is currently competing at the Women's Singles of the Miami Open.
The Miami Police Department said the incident occurred on March 18 at approximately 12:30 a.m.
"The Miami-Dade Police Department, Homicide Bureau, responded and has taken over the investigation of the apparent suicide of Mr. Konstantin Koltsov ... No foul play is suspected," the police said.
Koltsov played for the Pittsburgh Penguins in America's National Hockey League after getting drafted in 1999. He also played for the Belarus National Hockey Team at the Winter Olympics and IIHF World Championships.
His sudden death came as a shock to many tennis and Belarusian hockey fans, especially those who follow their relationship.
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He was there in Miami to support world No. 2 Sabalenka. It appears like a normal routine between the two as they always document their time together. He was always there to support her in tournaments all over the world.
Sabalenka, who has two Grand Slam titles (Australian Open 2023 and 2024), first met Koltsov in 2021 and made their relationship official on Instagram the same year.
Since then, they have become inseparable. They constantly post each other on Instagram, and many fans can't help but gush about their relationship.
Aryna Sabalenka plays through emotional pain
Sabalenka still hasn't commented on the death of her boyfriend. She also made herself unavailable to the media after being seen at a practice for her Miami Open 2024 match.
Nobody knows yet how she is taking the death of her partner, especially with her father Sergey, also a former ice hockey player, dying just five years ago.
She will debut at the hard court tournament against Paula Badosa, who triumphed over Simona Halep in the first round.
The Spanish player described Sabalenka's situation as "very tough" and that it feels uncomfortable right now to play against her.
"Yesterday I spoke with her a lot of time. This morning the same," she told reporters ahead of their match.
"So I know what she's going through. I know the entire situation. That for me is a little bit shocking to go through that because she's my best friend and I don't want her to suffer. It's a very tough situation."
Caroline Wozniacki, whom Sabalenka could meet if they both advance to the third round, is also sympathetic.
The Danish player, currently ranked world No. 129, shared that she met Sabalenka at the venue but decided to just give her space so she can process the hurt. She also declared publicly that she will be there for her despite them being opponents.
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