Aryna Sabalenka admits her team was concerned for her following the death of her ex-boyfriend Konstantin Koltsov and they made steps to support her but she realized that she could overcome the tragic situation on her own.
Just as the world No. 1 was preparing to kick off her Miami Open campaign in March, the shocking news came out that former Belarusian hockey star Koltsov committed suicide by jumping off the balcony in Miami.
When Sabalenka broke her silence, she revealed that she and the 42-year-old – who she started dating in 2021 – were no longer together at the time of his death.
While the three-time Grand Slam champion was able to play in Miami in an all-black outfit, she lost early and it was clear that she was extremely shaken over what happened.
That’s when her team figured out it would be a good idea to hire a psychologist.
Sabalenka: My team hired I psychologist, but I realized I could handle it myself
“Honestly, I don’t know how [I continued to play]. My team got a bit nervous after the last situation [with my ex-boyfriend], and they hired a psychologist,” the 26-year-old told The Age.
“When I spoke to him, he was like, ‘How did you handle so many dramas in your life?’ and at that moment, I realized, ‘OK, I don’t need the psychologist. I can handle it by myself.
“I think, first of all, you cannot control others. You can only control yourself, your behavior, and your attitude to things, and you just have to focus on the positives.”
In 2019, Sabalenka’s father Sergiy suddenly passed away at 43.
Over the years, the Belarusian acknowledged several times that it was an extremely traumatic event.
When the Koltsov death happened, it was definitely another traumatic situation.
But Sabalenka handled it properly as she won the US Open later that year and also started dating entrepreneur Georgios Frangulis.
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