Koltsov suicide, new drama for Aryna Sabalenka (on court at the WTA in Miami)

Kolstov committed suicide: Aryna Sabalenka's partner threw himself from a balcony

Konstantin Koltsov, the 42-year-old former Belarusian ice hockey champion who was engaged to tennis star Aryna Sabalenka, committed suicide, found dead in a Miami resort after falling from a balcony. This was announced by the Miami-Dade police department, explaining that the case is being treated as “apparent suicide” and that there is no evidence of the involvement of other people.

Kolstov, Miami police: “The death is not considered suspicious”

“According to what was reported by investigators – reads the law enforcement press release – on Monday, March 18, 2024, at approximately 12:39 in the morning, the Bal Harbor Police and Fire Department were called to the St. Regis Bal Habrour Resort at 9703 Collins Avenue for a man who had thrown himself from the balcony of his room. The Miami-Dade Police Department's homicide section has taken over the investigation of the apparent suicide of Mr. Konstantin Koltsov, born March 17, 1981. The death is not considered suspicious.”

The relationship between Konstantin Koltsov and the tennis player began in 2021. In an Instagram post in 2022, Sabalenka had described her partner as “the best man in the world” adding that “it makes me happy every day”. Last year a sweet love message from Aryna “Happy birthday my love. You are my dearest person, my best friend and my strongest support. I hope that life will give us everything we have planned.”

Koltsov committed suicide, new drama for Sabalenka (on court at the WTA in Miami)

Aryna Sabalenka, whom Koltsov had visited in Florida, will be on court as expected at the Masters 1000 of Miami where he is the number two seed, but he will not give interviews before and after the games. Her debut in the tournament is scheduled for Friday against Spain's Paula Badosa.

Sabalenka, her partner's suicide after the drama of her father's death in 2019

For the unfortunate Belarusian tennis player, number 2 in the world ranking it's a second drama: in 2019, at the age of 44, Sabalenka's father, another former ice hockey player, died of an illness.

Konstantin Koltsov, a career as an ice hockey star

Koltsov had played for the Pittsburgh Penguins in the North American NHLmaking 144 appearances between 2003 and 2006, and in the Belarusian national team at the 2002 Salt Lake City and 2010 Vancouver Games. He had three children with his wife Julia whom he had divorced before starting the relationship with Sabalenka. Given his incredible speed on the ice and his excellent game vision, he had been nicknamed 'Russian Rocket II', or deputy of the Russian legend Pavel Bure. A nickname that he brought with him even when he landed in 2002 in the futuristic arenas of the North American professional league, the legendary National Hockey League.

Konstantin Yevgeniyevich Koltsov was the most beautiful and successful expression of ice hockey, the sport loved and practiced by its president Alexander Lukashenko, of Belarus. Assistant coach in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) of Salavat Yulaev Ufa, after the team's exit in the round of 16 against Traktor Chelyabinsk on March 10, Konstantin flew to Florida to see his girlfriend, who in January had won for the the Australian Open for the second time in a row and ready to play the Masters 1000 in Miami, a tournament which she will be forced to give up.

'Kostya' since June 2021 was officially linked to the racket champion. In the recent past the two had also visited Rome. “It is with deep sadness that we inform you that Konstantin Koltsov has passed away. He was a strong and cheerful person, he was loved and respected by players, colleagues and fans,” read the obituary of Salavat Yulaev Ufa. Konstantin Koltsov made himself noticed on the ice, he knew how to make the boards 'ring' ever since he wore the shirt of his hometown team, Yunost Minsk, as a young boy. In 2002 he took the big step, arriving in the NHL at the Pittsburgh Penguins, also playing with the legends Mario Lemieux and Sidney Crosby. After 230 games between the NHL and the American Hockey League, Koltsov returned to Europe in 2006, joining the Ufa team.

Having concluded his sporting career with Dinamo Minsk on 27 November 2016 after 18 seasons, from the following year Konstantin Yevgeniyevich found himself an assistant in the KHL again with Dinamo. From 2021 he will return to Russia, first in Spartak Moscow and then, recalled by his old first love and always with assistant coach, in the Ufa team. From this season he was promoted to head coach of the Belarusian national team. As a player, Koltsov only met Italy once in official matches, in April 1999 in France on the occasion of the under 18 pool B World Cup (Belarus won 5 to 1).