Aryna Sabalenka is making her first public statement after the terrible murder of Konstantin Koltsov, a former player in the National Hockey League.
According to a short statement that the tennis player, who is 25 years old, posted on her Instagram Story on Wednesday, she referred to the loss as a “unthinkable tragedy.”
In spite of the fact that the two had been romantically connected since 2021, she said, “While we were no longer together, my heart is broken.”
At the conclusion of her speech, Sabalenka made a call for supporters. “Please respect my privacy and his family’s privacy during this difficult time.”
It was written in Belarusian that she made the same comment.
According to reports, Koltsov passed away on Monday. During his 18-year career as a professional ice hockey player, he was a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins and participated in two Olympic ice hockey competitions. He was 42 years old.
Individuals were informed on Tuesday by the Miami-Dade Police Department that he had committed himself prior to his loss.
In a statement that was obtained by PEOPLE, Miami-Dade police said that officers were sent to the St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort at around 12:39 a.m. local time on Monday to answer to complaints regarding a male who had jumped from a balcony. In addition, the authorities said that the Homicide Bureau of the department is conducting an investigation into “the apparent suicide,” and they added that “no foul play is suspected.”
It is believed that Koltsov is now in Miami in order to show his support for Sabalenka’s participation in the Miami Open, which started on Sunday.
A number of months before to his passing, Sabalenka created an Instagram Reel in which she portrayed a happy 2023 for both herself and Koltsov.
During the video montage that was released in December, Koltsov and Sabalenka are shown kissing each other as they are watching a hockey game. The video is set to the song “They Don’t Care About Us” by Michael Jackson. A walk with a child and a few amusing moments with Sabalenka are also among the activities that he participates in.
When exactly he and Sabalenka decided to stop their relationship is not entirely apparent.
Please call the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, texting “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741741, or visiting 988lifeline.org if you or someone you know is contemplating ending their own life by taking their own life.
