Aryna Sabalenka Has Addressed Ex-Boyfriend Konstantin Koltsov’s Tragic Death

Back in March 2024, the ex-boyfriend of women’s tennis star Aryna Sabalenka passed away at the age of 42.

Former NHL player Konstantin Koltsov dated Sabalenka for a few years before going their separate ways. According to the Miami-Dade Police Department, they received word about a man jumping off a balcony at the St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort. It was later reported that Koltsov’s death was ruled an apparent suicide.

During her cover story for the September issue of Time, Sabalenka was asked about Koltsov’s unexpected death. The world No. 1 admit that she struggled with her grieving process.

“Tennis really saved me from depression. I was just trying to focus on training, just so I spend less time with myself in my thoughts,” Sabalenka told Time. “I would cry in practice a lot. It was a very tough moment in my life.”

“I don’t know if there’s any cliché about how you’re supposed to grieve. I feel like in this situation, there is no right and wrong. We all need different things. For me, going back to work is the only way. I’m 28, but sometimes I think I’ve had everything in life that you could imagine.”

Aryna Sabalenka has dealt with plenty of adversity.

Back in 2019, Sabalenka’s father, Sergey, died of meningitis. The four-time Grand Slam champion has honored him after every significant win in her career.

“After I lost my father, it’s always been my goal to put our family name in the history of tennis,” she told reporters, via People Magazine. “Every time I see my name on that trophy, I’m so proud of myself, I’m proud of my family that they never gave up on my dream and that they were doing everything they could to keep me going.”

Sabalenka will be back in the spotlight this Sunday for her opening-round match at the Cincinnati Open.

This story was originally published by The Spun on Aug 15, 2026, where it first appeared in the Tennis section. Add The Spun as a Preferred Source by clicking here.