Aryna Sabalenka Thanks Fans For 'Outpouring Of Love' After Death Of Ex-Boyfriend
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On Monday, April 1, Aryna Sabalenka thanked fans for their support two weeks after her ex-boyfriend, former NHL player Konstantin Koltsov, died suddenly.
"I want to take a moment to say thank you to all my fans for your outpouring love and support during this difficult time,” the tennis player, who previously dated Konstantin, wrote on her Instagram story. “Your kind words mean so much and I carry them with me every day. I am so grateful for you all.”
Konstantin’s cause of death was called “apparent suicide,” by the Miami-Dade Police Department, on March 18, 2024, per CNN. He was in Miami to support Aryna during the Miami Open, according to People. He was 42.
Last week, the tennis player called his death an "unthinkable tragedy," adding that the two were no longer dating at the time of his passing.
"While we were no longer together, my heart is broken," she wrote in a March 20 Instagram Story. "Please respect my privacy and his family's privacy during this difficult time."
Aryna then wrote the same message in Belarusian.
Aryna, 25, stars on season two of Netflix’s hit Break Point, and Konstantin also appeared on the show.
Who was Aryna Sabalenka’s boyfriend?
Aryna’s boyfriend was hockey player Konstantin Koltsov. At the time of his death, Konstantin was working as a coach for the Russian hockey team Salavat Yulaev, where he also played for a time. He helped the team win their first Russian championship title in 2008.
They started dating in 2021.
Or, at least, they went Instagram official then. Aryna shared a photo in June 2021 of Konstantin kissing her on the cheek as she smiled. "It's good when there is someone who is able to understand my madness😅," she wrote in the caption., "You won't get bored with me, right @koltsov2021? 🤣❤️."
In December 2023, Aryna posted a video recap of the year, which featured the tennis player and Konstantin kissing at a hockey game. It is not clear when they broke up, although Aryna confirmed that they were not together at the time of his March 2024 death.
He was from Belarus.
Konstantin was born in Minsk, Belarus, according to his NHL profile. (Aryna is also from Minsk, per her Women’s Tennis Association bio.)
He played professional hockey in the NHL.
Konstantin was drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1999 in the first round, per his NHL bio. He ended up playing three seasons with the Penguins, from 2002 to 2006.
From 2008 to 2016 Konstantin played for the Kontinental Hockey League, per People.
He played in two Olympic games.
Konstantin played ice hockey for the Belarus national team twice—in 2002 and 2010, according to his Olympics profile. His team came in 4th in 2002 and 9th in 2010, FWIW.
He had three kids.
Konstantin was previously married to Julija Milahilova. The former couple has three boys together, and—drama alert—Julija tagged Aryna in a post about their breakup.
After revealing that she and Konstantin had split, Julija also wrote, “An appeal to all the girls hanging on other people's husbands with kids in the family!!! This is mean!!! This is the most amazing and happiest time, but at the same time the most difficult, because a small child takes away a lot of energy, energy and time... It may happen that you will be there someday,” she wrote.
Julija hasn’t spoken publicly about her former husband’s death.
They traveled a ton.
While Konstantin was fairly quiet on Instagram, Aryna shared photos of the two of them traveling during the off-season. In May 2022, she shared snaps of them in Rome:
And in July 2022, she also shared a picture of them cuddling on the beach in Fort Lauderdale, writing, "Having fun on the beach 🏝.”
In an Instagram post from 2022, Sabalenka described her partner as “the best man in the world” and said that he “make[s] me happy every day.”
He passed away in 2024.
On March 19, Salavat Yulaev shared that Konstantin had died at 42 years old.
“It is with deep sorrow that we inform you that the coach of Salavat Yulaev, Konstantin Koltsov, passed away,” a statement from the clubs reads. “He was a strong and cheerful person, he was loved and respected by players, colleagues, fans. Konstantin Evgenievich [has] forever written himself in the history of our club.”
The Pittsburgh Penguins—whom Konstantin played for from 2002 to 2006—also released a statement about Konstantin’s death on X, formerly known as Twitter. After offering “deepest condolences to the family and friends” of Konstantin, the statement notes that he was a first-round draft pick for the team in 1999.
On March 19, the Miami-Dade Police Department confirmed that Konstantin died by suicide. “According to investigators on Monday, March 18, 2024, at approximately 12:39 a.m., Bal Harbour Police and Fire Rescue were dispatched to the St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort, 9703 Collins Avenue in reference to a male that jumped from a balcony,” per a statement obtained by People.
Two days later, Aryna broke her silence on Konstantin's death, noting that they were not dating at the time of his passing.
"Konstantin's death is an unthinkable tragedy," she shared via her Instagram Story. "While we were no longer together, my heart is broken. Please respect my privacy and his family's privacy during this difficult time."
Just four days after Konstantin’s death, Aryna played at the Miami Open, competing against her friend Paula Badosa. Aryna came out on top, defeating Paula (6-4, 6-3), before losing the next day to Anhelina Kalinia in three sets (6-4, 1-6, 6-1).
The tennis star broke her racket after smashing it into the ground three times and refrained from shaking hands with Anhelina following the loss. Aryna also didn’t speak to the media during the tournament.
On April 15, the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix will kick off in Stuttgart, Germany, and Aryna is expected to compete.
Editor’s Note: If you or a loved one have contemplated suicide, call the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255) to connect with a trained counselor.
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