‘She Hasn’t Recovered’ – 2 Months After Ex-boyfriend’s Tragic Demise, Aryna Sabalenka’s Coach Shares a Worrying Update

The personality of any top athlete depends on how they react in crunch situations and when the going gets tough. Belarusian tennis star Aryna Sabalenka has passed that test this year. A few months ago, her ex-boyfriend, Konstantin Koltsov, tragically passed away after committing suicide. Although the two weren’t together back then, it was bound to have a massive impact on Sabalenka. Recently, her coach opened up about what she went through during these times.

Despite a personal tragedy, Sabalenka vowed to continue on the tour and keep her focus on tennis. She was widely praised in the tennis world for making such a bold decision. Explaining the effects of this episode, Sabalenka’s coach said, “It’s not easy because a tragic event happened in her life. Of course, it’s hard to separate it from tennis, but at the same time, the idea was to try to sideline it and focus on the game, which can become a cure.” (Translated using Google Translate.)

Further, she went on to add, “When you go out on the court and know what to do, even if you’re upset, angry, it can give you a feeling of healing. The opportunity to be on the court is a kind of medicine. Whatever happens in life, the main thing is to continue to do simple things, to live on. You need to go hiking, ride a bike, swim… Body and mind are always connected. We in the team try to support Arina and do everything possible so that she can focus on what she needs to do. She hasn’t 100% recovered yet, but she’s already better.”

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via Reuters

As soon as the news of Koltsov’s death broke out, tributes poured in for him, and the tennis fraternity got right behind Sabalenka, offering their condolences. Even former American tennis player Jill Craybas expressed her shock at this incident.

Sabalenka received words of strength from Jill Craybas

In the aftermath of Koltsov’s death, Craybas appeared on the Inside-In podcast. During the conversation there, the American star offered her support to Sabalenka amid sad times. She said, “I was shocked when I saw the news on social media. I think shock is the biggest word that I can think of, and I can’t even imagine what his family, Aryna, and the whole team are going through. Just our thoughts are with everybody that surrounds them. It’s such a terrible situation. It’s so hard. I reached out to her, and I told her that I was here if she needed anything.”

Despite the personal tragedy, Sabalenka is still going strong in her tennis career. She recently reached the summit of the Madrid Open before losing to Iga Swiatek in the finals. Sabalenka will next be seen at the Italian Open, and her campaign starts on Friday.