Aryna Sabalenka shared joyful video of boyfriend Konstantin Kolstov showing their life together laughing and dancing with friends in a post before he died

Grieving tennis star Aryna Sabalenka posted a moving video documenting her relationship with NHL star Konstantin Koltsov just three months before he committed suicide.

Koltsov, a coach in the Russian hockey league, died Monday of an apparent suicide after jumping from a balcony, police in Miami confirmed. He was 42 years old. Despite his coaching commitments, he was a near-constant presence at his girlfriend’s biggest career moments.

His girlfriend Sabalenka, 25, has confirmed she will continue to compete in the Miami Open which started on Tuesday. The couple are both from Belarus.

As one of the 32 seeded women’s players, Sabalenka received a bye in the first round. She is scheduled to make her first appearance in the 2024 edition of the tournament in the second round on Thursday, when she will face Paula Badosa.

In her clip showcasing the couple’s relationship, Sabalenka made a video of their most memorable moments in 2023.

Sabalenko showed the couple that they were constantly laughing in 2023 and looking forward to 2024

The couple made rain angels during a rainstorm on the track

Koltsov played most of his career in the Russian Superleague, which evolved into the KHL. He ended up at Dynamo Minsk in 2015-2016 and moved into coaching.

The two had been dating since 2021 when they announced their relationship on Instagram. With a photo of them kissing, Sabalenka wrote: ‘It’s good if there is someone who can understand my madness. But you won’t be bored with me, right @Koltsov2021?’

Koltsov and Sabalenka kiss at a hockey game, hold hands with a toddler, train together in a gym and dance on a boat. ‘Thank you 2023! See you in 2024,” the Australian Open champion wrote in the accompanying caption.

The video is based on the song They Don’t Real Care About Us by Michael Jackson. It is not clear who the toddler in the video is. Koltsov had three children from his previous marriage.

The two had been dating since 2021 when they announced their relationship on Instagram. With a photo of them kissing, Sabalenka wrote: ‘It’s good if there is someone who can understand my madness. But you won’t be bored with me, right @Koltsov2021?.’

Koltsov played in 144 NHL games for the Pittsburgh Penguins from 2003 to 2006 after being selected in the first round of the 1999 draft, with twelve goals and 26 assists. The Penguins issued a statement expressing their condolences to Koltsov’s family and friends.

Koltsov played most of his career in the Russian Superleague, which evolved into the KHL. He ended up at Dynamo Minsk in 2015/16 and moved into coaching.

Koltsov has been an assistant coach at Salavat Yulaev Ufa for the past two seasons. He was also a staff assistant of the Belarusian national men’s team.

National coach Dmitry Baskov called Koltsov’s death ‘an irreparable loss’.

“Konstantin was one of the indisputable leaders of our team, a talented progressive coach, a smart player,” Baskov said in a statement.

‘He was an example of toughness, hard work, dedication and an idol for many Belarusian boys and his colleagues. It is difficult and unfair when such people leave so early.’

Salavat Yulaev Ufa expressed sadness over the death of Koltsov, who won a Gagarin Cup championship with the club as a player in 2010–11.

“He was a strong and cheerful person, he was loved and respected by players, colleagues and fans,” the team said in a statement. “(Koltsov) wrote himself into the history of our club forever.”

Sabalenka won the Australian Open for her second consecutive title at Melbourne Park in January. She appeared on the Netflix docuseries Break Point and spoke emotionally about her father’s death in his early 40s.

Her father, Sergey, was also a former professional hockey player and died in 2019 at the age of 43. Sabalenka has spoken openly about how her father’s death inspired her to take up tennis.

In Break Point she said: “We had one dream: that I would win a few Grand Slams before I was 25,” the then 24-year-old said. “Now I’m 24 and there’s zero in my pocket.”