2026-05-19 10:47:47
Aryna Sabalenka is heartbroken that her father isn’t around to see her tennis success.
The world number one was introduced to the sport by her father Sergey, who passed away suddenly at the age of 43 in 2019, and finds it hard to accept that he hasn’t been around to see her reach the top of the sport.
Sabalenka told Vogue: “People say that time helps, but in some ways I struggle more now because I know how much fun my dad would be having with my success.
“Nowadays my fiancé (Georgios Frangulis) will find me crying in bed in the evening because I’m watching reels and there’s something about a father, or old times.
“The most sensitive videos for me are when I see people posting a family reaction to their kid athlete winning something, and I just imagine how my dad would react to me. I’m crying like crazy, like I just lost him. There are so many fathers on tour, and when I see a healthy relationship and a proud dad, I think, girl, just enjoy it, because you never know what’s coming. You’re so lucky.”
Meanwhile, Sabalenka revealed that she was unable to comprehend the news that her former boyfriend Konstantin Koltsov had taken his own life at the age of 42 in 2024 when informed by police as she prepared for the Miami Open.
The four-time Grand Slam winner said: “I was fighting with the cop – like, I couldn’t accept it.”
Sabalenka opted to play in the tournament in the wake of the tragedy but faced criticism in some quarters, though she does not regret her decision.
The Belarusian player said: “I don’t know if there’s any cliché about how you’re supposed to grieve. I feel like in this situation, there is no right and wrong. We all need different things. For me, going back to work is the only way.”
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