Konstantin Koltsov, former professional hockey player and girlfriend of tennis player Aryna Sabalenka, has died at the age of 42, his Russian club announced.
“It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Salavat Yulaev's coach Konstantin Koltsov,” said Salavat Yulaev, who is based in the Russian city of Ufa. “He was a strong and cheerful person, loved and respected by players, colleagues and fans. Konstantin Evgenievich forever etched his name in the history of our club.
“May he rest in peace.”
Koltsov's former team, the Pittsburgh Penguins, added in a statement that they extend their “deepest condolences to Koltsov's family and friends.”
Koltsov was drafted by the Penguins in the first round of the 1999 draft and played with the team from 2003 to 2006, appearing in 144 NHL games. Constantine was a teammate of Sidney Crosby and Mario Lemieux during the 2005-06 season.
Koltsov, a Belarusian, was drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1999 and played for the National Hockey League club from 2002 to 2006. An explosive skater, Koltsov never developed a consistent scoring ability in the NHL even after rising through the ranks of Russian hockey. However, he was popular among Penguins fans due to his speed.
He then returned to Russia, winning the league title with Salavat Yulaev in 2008, and recently returned to the club as assistant coach.
Koltsov and Belarusian world No. 2 Sabalenka have been together for several years, and he was present for some of her biggest victories in tennis, including when she retained her Australian Open title in Melbourne earlier this year. Ta.
(Instagram/Arina Sabalenka)
Sabalenka's father, Sergei, was also an ice hockey player and passed away in 2019.
“I lost my father four years ago. We had one dream: to win a couple of Grand Slams by the age of 25,” Sabalenka said in the Netflix series “Breakpoint.” Told. “And when he passed away, I started thinking about it too much.
“Now I'm 24 years old and I have nothing in my pocket. I feel like I put so much pressure on myself.”
Shortly after, before she turned 25, she won her first Grand Slam title at the 2023 Australian Open and her second in Melbourne this year.
Sabalenka lost in the last 16 at Indian Wells last week and was scheduled to play her first match at the Miami Open on Friday.
(Photo: Getty Images)
