Aryna Sabalenka: Tennis saved me from depression after the death of her ex-boyfriend
Tennis player Aryna Sabalenka revealed details about one of the most challenging periods of her life in an interview with Time magazine, published on August 13, 2026. In March 2024, moments before competing in the Miami Masters 1000, the athlete received the painful news of the death of her then boyfriend, former NHL player Konstantin Koltsov. Even in the face of deep pain, the Belarusian chose not to leave the court and continued in the competition.
“Tennis really saved me from depression,” Sabalenka confessed. The player’s strategy was to focus intensely on training, a way to fill her time and avoid being immersed in solitary thoughts. She described the difficulty of that period, with many tears shed during practice sessions.
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How sport helped the athlete’s mental recovery
Although her coach, Anton Dubrov, and other members of her team and social circle suggested a temporary withdrawal from the sport, Sabalenka stuck to her decision. The choice to remain competing drew criticism on digital platforms, but she felt that tennis was her anchor at that moment. At the time, the then second best tennis player in the world was eliminated in the third round of the Masters 1000.
Still in 2024, a year marked by such personal turmoil, Sabalenka met her future fiance, Brazilian businessman Georgios Frangulis. According to the athlete’s coach, the CEO of an açaí company showed great sensitivity in approaching the tennis player during such a delicate period.
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Professional advancement and support in a new relationship
Anton Dubrov described Georgios as a fundamental partner, who offered support not only to the tennis player, but to the entire team. “He was a great partner and helped the team a lot,” said Dubrov. The coach highlighted Frangulis’ careful approach, who always sought to understand what would be the best way to support Sabalenka, asking: “What do you think would be best for her?”
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Georgios Frangulis was at Sabalenka’s side during the most prominent phase of his career. Before the 2026 US Open, Aryna had already consolidated her position among the ten greatest tennis players in history to maintain the top of the rankings for at least 100 weeks. She joins sports icons such as Serena Williams, Steffi Graf, Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert in this select group.
Holder of four Grand Slam titles, the tennis player won the US Open in the previous two years and is preparing to defend those titles in New York, with the competition scheduled to start on August 30th.
Follow: all about Aryna Sabalenka
Sabalenka ended her interview by expressing her desire to be remembered as a dedicated athlete on the court and a pleasant person off it. “I want to be remembered as a fighter on the court, but as someone very cool and fun off the court,” she said. She emphasized the importance of balance, especially for new generations, warning that excessive fixation on goals can, paradoxically, lead to self-destruction.
