Aryna Sabalenka made her first public comments since the demise of former partner Konstantin Koltsov. She confirmed they were no longer a couple before his death earlier this week.
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Sabalenka still plans to play in this week’s Miami Open despite the tragedy. The Belarusian made her first comments about the death of Koltsov with an Instagram post. She admitted that she was heartbroken after what police described as an “apparent suicide”.
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Koltsov, a former ice hockey played in the NHL for the Pittsburgh Penguins. He died aged 42 in Miami on Monday and Sabalenka offered up this statement to express her grief.
“Konstantin’s death is an unthinkable tragedy, and while we were no longer together, my heart is broken,” Sabalenka wrote. “Please respect my privacy and his family’s privacy during this difficult time.”
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Support and Empathy Overflow For Sabalenka
Sabalenka was photographed practicing in Miami before her initial match against her close friend Paula Badosa. Badosa admitted that competing against the Belarusian would be “uncomfortable.”
“Yesterday I spoke with her a lot of time. This morning the same. So I know what she’s going through. I know the entire situation, what is happening.”
“That for me is a little bit shocking also to go through that because at the end she’s my best friend and I don’t want her to suffer. It’s a very tough situation.”
“At the same point, playing against her, it’s also uncomfortable. But I don’t really want to talk about it because I said I’m not going to talk about it. She’s my best friend and I promised that.”
“She’s a strong woman. I think she will get the power from somewhere. I hope it’s going to be a battle, a good match.”
Caroline Wozniacki became emotional talking about the situation during her press conference, with the Dane saying: “I can’t even imagine what she’s going through right now.”
“I’m also tearing up. It’s such a terrible situation. It’s so hard. I reached out to her and I told her that I was here if she needed anything.”
“I love Aryna. I think she’s such a great person. She’s always so happy and out there. To see her go through that, it’s heartbreaking.”
“Everyone grieves in a different way. She was walking past today. I was giving her her space. I let her know that if she ever needs anything, I’m here, we’re here for her.”