ARYNA SABALENKA returned to Wimbledon in 2023, after being unable to compete in 2022, with the support of boyfriend Konstantin Koltsov.
The tennis star played on the SW19 court once again after Wimbledon reversed its ban on Russian and Belarusian players, a ban which was put in place in 2022 following the illegal invasion of Ukraine.
Tennis player Aryana Sabalenka and her boyfriend Konstantin Koltsov have been together since 2021Aryana Sabalenk/ Instagram
Who is Aryna Sabalenka?
Aryna Sabalenka is a professional tennis player from Belarus.
She was born on May 5, 1998, in Minsk, the capital of Belarus.
Aryana began training at the National Tennis Academy in Minsk when it opened in 2014.
According to the Women’s Tennis Association, she has ranked as high as world No. 2 in singles and world No. 1 in doubles.
In 2023 she returned to Wimbledon, after being banned from playing in the 2022 tournament.
Players like Aryana and Russian world No5 Daniil Medvedev were allowed to play at the 2023 Championships under a neutral flag.
Before Sabalenka was linked to her current partner Koltsov, she was engaged to someone else.
She did not publicly reveal who she was engaged to, keeping her fiancé’s identity private.
Who is Aryna Sabalenka’s boyfriend, Konstantin Koltsov?
Koltsov is a former ice hockey player who is from Minsk, Belarus — the same city Sabalenka was born in.
He played professional ice hockey for 18 years, and competed in the IIHF World Championships and the Winter Olympics in 2002 and 2010.
He briefly played in the NHL for the Pittsburgh Penguins and competed in the Kontinental Hockey League from 2008 to 2016.
Koltsov appears to have three children from a previous relationship.
His Instagram is private but he regularly appears in pictures on Sabalenka’s account.
Sabalenka occasionally shares pictures of herself spending time with Koltsov’s sons on social media.
When did the couple first meet?
It is not known exactly when Aryana and Konstantin first met but they made their relationship official in June 2021.
Aryana confirmed their romance by sharing a picture online of Koltsov kissing her on the cheek as she smiled at the camera.
She wrote in the caption: “It’s good when there is someone who is able to understand my madness, but you won’t get bored with me, right @koltsov2021?”
Since then, Sabalenka has given her followers regular updates on her and Koltsov’s life together, including pictures of their travels.
In May 2022, the couple travelled around Rome, Italy, and they have also visited Florida together.
Ahead of Wimbledon 2023, the pair enjoyed a relaxing holiday in Mallorca, Spain.