Members of the tennis community have offered their condolences to Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka, whose boyfriend, former NHL player Konstantin Koltsov, died at the age of 42.
The death of Koltsov — who was a member of the Belraus national team and spent time with the Pittsburgh Penguins from 2002-06 — was confirmed Tuesday by the Russian club Salavat Yulaev, while the Belarusian publication Telegraf alleged he died in Miami due to a “detached blood clot.”
In the wake of the tragedy, some of Sabalenka’s peers, including Romania’s Prisacariu Andreea and tennis commentator José Morgado, posted emotional messages on social media.
“Sending prayers to Aryna Sabalenka and Koltsov’s family. May he rest in peace and may God take care of his soul. During these kind of times, it’s beyond sports, beyond competition. It’s about being human and offer compassion. So let’s all take a moment and pray,” Andreea wrote in a post on X.
Upon verifying Koltsov’s passing, Morgado posted on his X page: “Absolutely horrendous news.”
American Sloane Stephens, who fell to Sabalenka, 25, in the fourth round of last year’s French Open, appeared to address the tragedy on X on Monday night, writing, “That moment when you can actually feel the pain in your chest from hearing something or seeing something that breaks your heart.”
Sabalenka, the world No. 2, was first linked to Koltsov in June 2021, according to People.
Koltsov long supported Sabalenka’s career, celebrating her second Australian Open win in back-to-back years in January.
“Congratulations again my love,” he wrote on Instagram at the time, per People.
Koltsov competed at the 2010 Olympic Games for Belarus.
During his NHL career, which spanned three seasons in Pittsburgh, he tallied 12 goals and 26 assists.
Koltsov had been working as an assistant coach for Russia’s Salavat Yulaev club, according to Reuters.
“He was a strong and cheerful person, he was loved and respected by players, colleagues, and fans. Konstantin Evgenievich forever wrote himself into the history of our club,” the team said in a statement.
“May he rest in peace.”
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