Aryna Sabalenka is set to compete at the 2024 Miami Open, according to the latest reports, despite her boyfriend's passing.
The Belarusian player traveled to Miami to compete at the WTA 1000 tournament, but what happened there changed the course of her life forever.
After losing her father, Sergey Sabalenka, in 2019, Aryna's boyfriend, Konstantin Koltsov, passed away at 42 years of age during their stay in Miami. While the initial reports suggested it was because of "a detached blood clot," there are contradicting reports regarding his death, with the official reason yet to be confirmed.
It wasn't expected from Sabalenka to prioritize her tennis career after the tragic news, but according to reports from the Tennis Channel, the world no. 2 should still compete at the tournament.
As the second seed at the tournament, she has a first-round bye, starting her campaign after the conclusion of the first-round matches. In the second round, she will play against one of two very experienced players.
Simona Halep and Paula Badosa will meet in the first round of the tournament, with the winner of this clash between the former world no. 1 and former world no. 2 taking on the Belarusian player.
According to the report from the Tennis Channel, even though Sabalenka will compete at the tournament, she will not be attending press conferences and talking to the media at the tournament, which is completely understandable.
In fact, it's shocking and brave that the 25-year-old made the decision to compete in the tournament, and she will certainly enjoy enormous success from the crowd in Miami.
As of now, Sabalenka has yet to release any public comment or confirm her participation in the tournament. That means a lot can still change, with her second-round match against Badosa or Halep currently only a few days away.