Aryna Sabalenka plans to play on the Miami Open following the dying of her boyfriend, former ice hockey participant Konstantin Koltsov.

Koltsov, who represented Belarus on the 2002 and 2010 Winter Olympics, has died aged 42.

He additionally spent three years within the NHL with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Compatriot Sabalenka, 25, is seeded second in Miami and is because of enter the match within the second spherical later this week.

She has a first-round bye and can play the winner of Tuesday's match between Simona Halep and Paula Badosa on Thursday or Friday.

Koltsov was in Miami when he died, in what the Miami-Dade Police Division stated was an “obvious suicide.”

“No foul play is suspected,” he added in a press release.

Sabalenka's father, Sergey, additionally a former ice hockey participant, died in 2019 on the age of 43.

World quantity two Sabalenka described Sergey as her “largest motivation” when she retained her Australian Open title in January, fulfilling a dream she shared with him of successful two Grand Slam titles on the age of 25 years.

Koltsov retired from enjoying in 2016 and was an assistant coach with Russian Kontinental Hockey League group Salavat Yulaev Ufa.

An announcement on the membership's web site asserting his dying described Koltsov as a “sturdy and cheerful particular person” who was “liked and revered by gamers, colleagues and followers”.

The Pittsburgh Penguins additionally paid tribute, saying: “The Penguins lengthen their deepest condolences to the household and pals of former Penguins ahead Konstantin Koltsov.”

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