Aryna Sabalenka spoke out for the first time Wednesday over the death of former boyfriend and NHL player Konstantin Koltsov.
Though the pair had been romantically linked since 2021, the 25-year-old Belarusian tennis star said in an Instagram story that the couple “were no longer together” when Koltsov, a retired Belurusian hockey player who was a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins from 2003-06, died in Florida on Monday. He was 42.
Sabalenka did not go into further details on when the pair split.
Miami-Dade Police told the Associated Press Koltsov’s death was a suspected suicide and that there were no signs of foul play.
In the short Instagram Story, Sabalenka described the death as an “unthinkable tragedy” and that, “my heart is broken.
“Please respect my privacy and his family’s privacy during this difficult time,” she concluded.
According to People, Koltsov was in Miami in order to support Sabalenka’s appearance in the Miami Open, which started on Sunday.
If you or a loved one are struggling with suicidal thoughts, please reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741
