Welcome to our dwell weblog of right now’s Miami Open round-of-64 match between Aryna Sabalenka and Paula Badosa.
The competition is prone to be an emotional affair, being the primary match since Sabalenka’s ex-boyfriend, the ice hockey participant Konstantin Koltsov, plunged to his dying in an obvious suicide from a lodge balcony close to Miami Seashore.
Sabalenka, the World No 2, mentioned her coronary heart was damaged by the “unthinkable tragedy” however the 25-year-old Belarusian managed to proceed getting ready for right now’s match, taking to the observe courts in Miami this week.
The 2-time Australian Open champion posted on Instagram: “Konstantin’s dying is an unthinkable tragedy, and whereas we have been not collectively, my coronary heart is damaged. Please respect my privateness and his household’s privateness throughout this tough time.”
Police referred to Koltsov’s dying as “an obvious suicide” saying they’d been referred to as to the lodge at 12.39am on Monday “in reference to a male that jumped from a balcony”.
Nonetheless, Koltsov’s ex-wife Julija Mikhailova mentioned in an interview in Belarus that she was not satisfied her former accomplice’s dying was suicide.
“Almost certainly he was very drunk. Sadly, hockey gamers are generally responsible of this,” mentioned Mikhailova, the mom of Koltsov’s three youngsters.
Koltsov, who was 42, performed for the Belarus nationwide group within the 2002 and 2010 Olympics and spent elements of three seasons with the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins between 2002 and 2006.
The contemporary tragedy follows the dying of Sabalenka’s father Sergey, in 2019, after the previous ice-hockey participant contracted meningitis aged 43.
As if it wanted it, right now’s match is given an additional emotional layer as Sabalenka and Badosa are shut mates.
Spain’s Badosa, the world No 80, mentioned she has been in contact with Sabalenka this week. “I do know what she’s going via. I do know the complete scenario,” Badosa mentioned. “That for me is somewhat bit stunning additionally to undergo that as a result of on the finish she’s my greatest pal and I don’t need her to endure. It’s a really robust scenario.”
