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Tennis star Aryna Sabalenka had a tough time in the Round of 32 at the Miami Open on Saturday as she dropped a match against Anhelina Kalinina in three sets, 4-6, 6-1, 1-6.
The Belarusian player smashed her racket at the end of the match in frustration as an emotional week came to an end. Sabalenka was trying to persevere through the tournament with a heavy heart following the death of her ex-boyfriend, Konstantin Koltsov.
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Aryna Sabalenka in action against Anhelina Kalinina at the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium on March 23, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Robert Prange/Getty Images)
“It’s always tough to play on big stages against these top players,” Kalinina, of Ukraine, said after the match, via The Telegraph. “Today was really tough with nerves, but I managed in the tough moments to deal with it.”
Sabalenka and Kalinina didn’t shake each other’s hands after the game, the custom between players from Russia and Belarus and those from Ukraine since the start of the Russian war in Ukraine.
TENNIS STAR ARYNA SABALENKA RECEIVES SUPPORT AS SHE MOURNS DEATH OF BOYFRIEND
Aryna Sabalenka reacts after losing a point to Anhelina Kalinina during the Miami Open, Saturday, March 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
The No. 2-ranked player in the world learned that her former boyfriend died by “apparent suicide” earlier in the week. Koltsov was 42. She released a statement on his death afterward.
“Konstantin’s death is an unthinkable tragedy, and while we were no longer together, my heart is broken,” she wrote on Instagram. “Please respect my privacy and his family’s privacy during this difficult time.”
Aryna Sabalenka hits a return to Anhelina Kalinina during the Miami Open, Saturday, March 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
She didn’t speak to reporters during the Miami Open and wore black during each of her matches.
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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.
