Playing four days after the death of a former hockey player she dated, Aryna Sabalenka beat Paula Badosa 6-4, 6-3 on Friday in the second round of the rain-soaked Miami Open. Sabalenka has asked for privacy for herself and the family of Konstantin Koltsov, the 42-year-old Belarusian who died in Miami on Monday. Miami-Dade Police said it was an apparent suicide and no foul play was suspected.
Quick Read
- Aryna Sabalenka, despite the recent passing of her former partner, hockey player Konstantin Koltsov, secured a victory against Paula Badosa with scores of 6-4, 6-3 at the Miami Open.
- Sabalenka, who is dealing with the loss of Koltsov to an apparent suicide in Miami, has requested privacy for herself and Koltsov’s family during this challenging time.
- The 25-year-old Belarusian, currently ranked second in the world, had previously won the Australian Open in January, marking her second consecutive title at that tournament.
- The start of the day’s matches at the Miami Open was delayed by six hours due to rain, and further rain interruptions led to the early cancellation of the remaining scheduled games, with wind also affecting play.
- Other notable matches included Coco Gauff advancing to the third round with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Nadia Podoroska, and Elena Rybakina overcoming Clara Tauson in a tight three-set match.
- In the men’s category, Jannik Sinner’s match against Andrea Vavassori was suspended due to the day’s conditions, while Tomas Machac and Ugo Humbert secured wins against their respective opponents.
The Associated Press has the story:
Sabalenka wins Miami Open match 4 days after death of former hockey player she dated
Newslooks- MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) —
Playing four days after the death of a former hockey player she dated, Aryna Sabalenka beat Paula Badosa 6-4, 6-3 on Friday in the second round of the rain-soaked Miami Open.
Sabalenka has asked for privacy for herself and the family of Konstantin Koltsov, the 42-year-old Belarusian who died in Miami on Monday. Miami-Dade Police said it was an apparent suicide and no foul play was suspected.
The second-ranked Sabalenka is a 25-year-old also from Belarus who won the Australian Open in January for her second consecutive title at Melbourne Park. As one of the 32 seeded players, Sabalenka received a first-round bye.
Rain delayed the start of the day’s play by six hours, then more rain wiped out the rest of the scheduled play early in the evening. Wind also was a factor.
In one of the first matches completed, U.S. Open champion Coco Gauff moved on to the third round, beating Nadia Podoroska 6-1, 6-2. Gauff is ranked No. 3.
Fourth-ranked Elena Rybakina outlasted Clara Tauson 3-6, 7-5, 6-4. Also, Emma Navarro beat Storm Hunter 6-4, 6-3, and Ekaterina Alexandrova topped Donna Vekic 6-3, 6-4.
In men’s play, third-ranked Jannik Sinner led Andrea Vavassori 3-2 when the all-Italian match was suspended for the day. Earlier, Tomas Machac beat sixth-ranked Andrey Rublev 6-4, 6-4, and Ugo Humbert edged Botic Van de Zandschulp 6-4, 6-3.
