A heartbreaking message from Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka to her boyfriend Konstantin Koltsov about his final birthday revealed the couple hoped they would “have everything we planned”.
Koltsov, a former ice hockey player, died while in the USA, aged 42. His cause of death is currently unknown.
“I love you,” Sabalenka wrote to Koltsov in an Instagram post.
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“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.”
Sabalenka, the current world no.2 in tennis, was scheduled to play in the Miami Open starting this week.
Sabalenka and Koltsov were born in the same Belarusian city of Minsk.
Koltsov played for the Belarus national team, as well as several professional clubs in Belarus, Russia, and the Pittsburgh Penguins in America’s NHL, where he played 144 games across parts of three seasons between 2002 and 2006.
The right-winger represented his country at the 2002 and 2010 Winter Olympics, as well as at nine world championships.
Since 2017, he had been working as an assistant coach at Salavat Yulaev Ufa, which was one of the nine clubs he was at during his playing career.
The couple made their relationship official in 2021.
Fans have shared messages of support for Sabalenka on social media.
“We are sorry for your loss,” one fan said. “Stay strong Aryna.”
“I’m so sorry for your loss Aryna, me and all your fans are with you,” another fan said.
