Aryna Sabalenka ‘hasn’t 100% recovered’ from Konstantin Koltsov passing says coach Anton Dubrov but calls tennis ‘medicine’ in recovery

Aryna Sabalenka’s coach Anton Dubrov says that his charge hasn’t fully recovered yet as expected from the passing of her ex boyfriend, Konstantin Koltsov which shook the world of the World No.2 at the Miami Open.

But that she is healing through tennis which Dubrov called a ‘cure’ and like ‘medicine’. Sabalenka after a great start to the season headed to Miami but tragedy would await. News broke while she was out there training that Koltsov who still to the public eye was her boyfriend had reportedly committed suicide.

Sabalenka took the brave move still to play with the caveat that she wouldn’t do media. But this caveat has meant she hasn’t really spoke about it since. She confirmed after his passing that she was heartbroken but they were no longer together when he passed. The burden has got slightly easier with Sabalenka back towards her cheery self. But as Dubrov admitted this isn’t the easiest task to achieve and she is still hurting.

"It's not easy because a tragic event happened in her life. Of course, it's hard to separate it from tennis, but at the same time the idea was to try to sideline it and focus on the game, which can become a cure,” said Dubrov to L’Equipe.

"When you go out on the court and know what to do, even if you're upset, angry, it can give you a feeling of healing. The opportunity to be on the court is a kind of medicine. Whatever happens in life, the main thing is to continue to do simple things, to live on. She hasn't 100% recovered yet, but she's already better.”