Professional tennis players show solidarity with Aryna Sabalenka following the passing of her ex-boyfriend
Koltsov’s death was confirmed by his Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) team Salavat Yulaev on March 18. The following day, the 42-year-old’s cause of death was revealed as an apparent suicide by the Miami-Dade Police Department in a statement to E! News on March 19, adding that “no foul play is suspected.”
“He was a strong and cheerful person,” the KHL said in a translated statement on March 18. “He was loved and respected by players, colleagues, and fans.”
“Konstantin forever wrote himself into the history of our club,” the statement continued. “[He] won the Russian Championship and the Gagarin Cup as part of Salavat Yulaev, and did a great job on the team’s coaching staff.”
Sabalenka—who is currently ranked no. 2 in the Women’s Tennis Association—has yet to speak out publicly about his passing, although she did often post about their romance, which began in 2021, on social media.
“Happy birthday my love,” she captioned an Instagram video of the two in April of last year. “You are my dearest person, my best friend and my strongest support. Peace be with you, strength, patience and health. I hope we will have everything we planned. I love you.”
For more of their sweetest moments together, keep reading.
This story was updated on March 20, 2024 at 5:58 p.m. PT to update Aryna Sabalenka’s connection to Konstantin Koltsov.