2024-03-22 18:57:31
The expected return of Aryna Sabalenka, ranked second in the world, to the court was postponed today (Friday), after the apparent suicide of her ex-boyfriend Konstantin Koltsov this week, due to heavy rain that prevented the start of the matches of the Miami Open tennis tournament.
In the first match of the day at the Grand Stand Stadium, Sabalenka was scheduled to meet her close friend Paula Badosa in the second round after the draw kept her from competing in the first round.
Sabalenka (25 years old), who comes from Belarus, issued a brief statement last Wednesday in which she said that “her heart is broken by an unimaginable tragedy,” but she remained far from the spotlight.
This statement also included Koltsov’s first mention of the tragedy of their separation.
Last Tuesday, Miami-Dade Police confirmed that they had received a report the previous day about a man throwing himself from a balcony. Police said there was no criminal suspicion.
Koltsov played with the Belarusian national team in the Winter Games in 2002 and 2010, and spent parts of three seasons with the Pittsburgh Penguins, competing in the American Ice Hockey League, between 2003 and 2006.
The news of Koltsov’s death had a shock effect on the atmosphere at the Miami Open tennis tournament, as Sabalenka’s teammates gathered around her, including her rival Badosa.
Badosa prepared for the confrontation with the player she described as her close friend on Tuesday by defeating Simona Halep, the winner of two Grand Slam titles, who returned to competition after being suspended for doping.
“The challenge is not easy, it is a mental challenge,” Badosa said about facing two-time Australian Open champion Sabalenka. I understand the whole situation and what is happening. “For me, it was a bit shocking, because in the end, she is my best friend, and I don’t want her to suffer.”
The chances of Sabalenka or anyone else arriving at the Hard Rock Complex stadiums today seem unlikely, as forecasts indicate continuous, sometimes heavy, rain and thunderstorms until early tomorrow (Saturday).
Play was scheduled to start at 11 a.m. EST (15:00 GMT), but has already been postponed by an hour twice, with the earliest expected start now being at 1 p.m. (17:00 GMT).
The rain comes at the worst possible time with the start of the tournament tomorrow (Saturday), amid the start of many prominent players participating in the tournament, including the world number one ranked women, Iga Chiantek, and also the defending men’s champion Daniil Medvedev, along with Americans Coco Gauff and Taylor Fritz.
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