Aryna Sabalenka has been kept waiting ahead of her return at the Miami Open after rain forced five delays to her tie against best friend Paula Badosa.
Sabalenka, 25, is set to open her account at the tournament just four days after her ex-boyfriend Konstantin Koltsov, 42, died in an ‘apparent suicide’ after jumping from a hotel balcony in Miami.
Police confirmed Koltsov’s death on Tuesday, before his girlfriend of the last three years was seen practicing on the court hours later. It was then confirmed that she still planned on competing at the Miami Open.
Sabalenka, who revealed on Wednesday that her relationship with the professional hockey player was already over, is set to face Badosa, one of her good friends, in the Round of 64 on Friday.
Their match was initially scheduled to begin at 11am local time, only for torrential rain in Miami to delay it by an hour. And with that downpour showing no signs of slowing down, tournament officials have since pushed it back on four more occasions.
Aryna Sabalenka has been kept waiting ahead of her return at the Miami Open on Friday
Friday’s action at the tournament has been delayed three times already due to torrential rain
Sabalenka is taking to the court for the first time since the death of her ex-boyfriend Konstantin Koltsov
Koltsov, who had been dating Australian Open champion Sabalenka for three years, died at the age of 42 on Monday after jumping from a hotel balcony in Miami
Sabalenka was seen taking part in practice sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday, blocking out the grief in the immediate days after Koltsov’s apparent suicide to prepare for Friday’s opener.
Miami-Dade Police have taken control of the investigation into Koltsov’s death. However, his ex-wife Mikhailova has offered her view on what might have happened to him – saying that he ‘was very likely drunk’ before his fall and that there were liquor bottles found throughout his room on the 23rd floor of the St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort.
‘Most likely, he was very drunk,’ she told Zerkalo about the ex-NHL star, who played for the Pittsburgh Penguins and represented Belarus at two Winter Olympics. ‘Unfortunately, hockey players are sometimes guilty of this.
‘Empty alcohol bottles were found in the room where Konstantin stayed. There was a balcony overlooking the ocean. Probably Konstantin did not keep track of his actions.
‘We still have the old family computer with Konstantin’s email. I knew the passwords and managed to open some emails. Konstantin had further booked apartments in a different location. Purchases that have not yet arrived have been paid for. He rented a car for a long time.
‘That is, he did not intend to die. Anything, of course, can go to your head, but there was no sign of tragedy.’
Police have ruled out murder and believe the investigation will be over within a month, according to Mikhailova.
It’s unclear when Sabalenka and Koltsov’s relationship came to an end, but multiple sources told The Telegraph that the couple had split.
Sabalenka returned to training just 24 hours after Koltsov’s death in an ‘apparent suicide’
She is due to face best friend Paula Badosa in the Round of 64 of the Miami Open
In a statement on Wednesday Sabalenka claimed her relationship with Koltsov had already come to an end while breaking her silence on the ‘unthinkable tragedy’
The pair were first linked in June 2021 and the two-time Australian Open winner 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.’
The death of Sabalenka’s partner comes just five years after she lost her father Sergey following his sudden death at 43.
Like Koltsov, her father had also played professional hockey, and the Belarusian athlete has often spoken of the motivation her father’s passing her inspired in her tennis game.
For support call Samaritans on 116123 in the UK or visit www.samaritans.org or www.thecalmzone.net/get-support, or call the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline on 988 in the US.
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