World No. 1 tennis player Arina Sabalenka, who has dominated the courts for years, recently opened up about the personal tragedies she has endured. In a detailed interview with "Vogue," the Belarusian champion spoke for the first time about the devastating losses that have marked her life: the death of her father and her ex-boyfriend, Konstantin Kolcov.

In March 2024, the world was shocked by the news that the former ice hockey player, Konstantin Kolcov (42), had died after a fall from the 23rd floor of a hotel in Majorca. Although they were no longer a couple at the time, Sabalenka was completely devastated by the news.

"I fought with the police, I couldn't accept what they were telling me," Sabalenka recalled, remembering the moment she was informed of the tragedy while training near the hotel.

In spite of the shock, Sabalenka decided to compete in a tournament just a few days later:

"There is no right or wrong answer in such situations. Returning to the court and working was the only option for me."

This tragedy reopened old wounds from 2019, when Sabalenka unexpectedly lost her father Sergei, who died from meningitis at the age of 43. She revealed the painful truth of that moment – help in Minsk arrived too late.

"Emergency services didn't arrive until the third day. By then, it was too late to save him. They say time heals all wounds, but for me, it's somehow harder now. I know how proud he would be of my success."

Sabalenka acknowledged that her struggle does not end when the spotlight fades. In fact, the nights are the hardest.

"I wake up crying. My current boyfriend often catches me crying in bed after seeing videos of fathers or old good times on social media. The hardest are the clips where families celebrate their children's sports achievements. I imagine how my father would have reacted and cry uncontrollably, as if I had just lost him."

Despite being only 28 years old, Sabalenka feels much older due to all she has endured.

"Sometimes I feel like I've already lived through everything in life."

(Telegraf.rs)