Tennis world No 2 Aryna Sabalenka's boyfriend and ex-NHL player Konstantin Koltsov dies aged 42 while in Miami to support her, five years after Australian Open champion was stunned by her father's death

 

The boyfriend of two-time Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka, former ice hockey player Konstantin Koltsov, has died at the age of 42.  

The Belarusian played for his national team in the 2002 and 2010 Winter Olympics and spent parts of three seasons with the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins from 2002 and 2006.

Sabalenka is in Miami preparing for the upcoming Miami Open, where the 25-year-old is seeded second, and Koltsov is thought to have joined her in Florida ahead of his shock passing. 

The former professional athlete's death was confirmed on social messaging site Telegram via the account of his former club Salavat Yulaev Ufa. 

'It is with deep sorrow that we inform you that the coach of Salavat Yulaev, Konstantin Koltsov, has passed away,' the Russian club's statement read. 

'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.

'Koltsov won the Russian Championship and the Gagarin Cup as part of Salavat Yulaev, and did a great job on the team’s coaching staff.

'May his memory burn bright.'

Belarusian media reported that the 42-year-old died of a 'detached blood clot', and shared pictures of fans arriving with floral tributes and candles to a memorial for the player outside their home ground, the Ufa Arena. 

The Belarusian Hockey Federation also shared a statement upon Koltsov's passing, writing: 'The Belarusian Hockey Federation expresses its deepest condolences to his family, friends, and everyone who knew and worked with Konstantin Evgenievich.'

On Monday, Russian agency Winners Hockey Agency reported via their Telegram channel that Koltsov would not be renewing his contract with Salavat Yulaev after two years working under head coach Viktor Kozlov. 

The death of the world number two's partner comes just five years after the player lost her father Sergey following his sudden death at 43. 

Like Koltsov, Sabalenka's father had also played professional ice hockey, and the Belarusian athlete has often spoken of the motivation her father's passing her inspired in her tennis game. 

After winning her second Australian Open title in January, Sabalenka achieved a feat she had previously discussed on an episode of Netflix's tennis docu-series Break Point. 

'We had one dream: that before 25, I will win a couple of Grand Slams,' the then-24-year-old said. 

Former world number three Sloane Stephens appeared to reference Koltsov's death on X

'Now I'm 24 and there is zero in my pocket'.  

Sabalenka and Koltsov are thought to have dated for three years, after first being linked in June 2021 and the world number two has frequently posted photos of them together on her Instagram account.

'I love you @koltsov2021,' she wrote in one post that included heart and other emojis.

'Happy birthday my love. 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.'

On International Women's Day, Koltsov shared a gallery of pictures of Sabalenka, devoted to the tennis star, with the caption: 'Happy holiday, my love, I love you madly'.  

Two months ago, Koltsov supported Sabalenka in person in Melbourne and watcher her hoist aloft the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup for the second year in a row.   

Koltsov has three sons from his previous relationship with his ex-wife Yulia, from whom he split in April 2020. 

The former ice hockey player's sons - Daniel, Alexander and Stefan - are thought to have met Sabalenka, with the player sharing pictures of herself with the youngest, Stefan, on Instagram. 

In the wake of the tragedy, fellow WTA tour-member Sloane Stephens appeared to react to the news on Twitter, writing: 'That moment when you can actually feel the pain in your chest from hearing or seeing something that breaks your heart (broken heart emoji).'

The former Dynamo Minsk head coach paid tribute to his girlfriend on International Women's Day two weeks ago

The former world number one won back-to-back trophies in Melbourne at the age of 25

The former world number three did not directly reference Sabalenka, but many fans on social media site X believe her post was written in light of news breaking in the early hoursof Tuesday morning. 

Sabalenka lost in the last 16 at Indian Wells last week to Emma Navarro after knocking out former US Open Champion Emma Raducanu, and is scheduled to play her first match at the Miami Open on Friday March 2022. 

Renowned for his speed on the ice, Koltsov won the Russian Super League title with Salavat Yulaev in 2008, and more recently returned to the club as an assistant coach. 

Koltsov previously served on the coaching staffs of Dinamo Minsk and Spartak Moscow, as well as seeing out tenures as head coach at Brest and Dinamo Maladzyechna.