Sabalenka says her ‘heart is broken’ by Koltsov’s death, asks for privacy for his family
MIAMI GARDENS, FLA. » Aryna Sabalenka said her “heart is broken” by the death of Konstantin Koltsov, asking for privacy for herself and the family of the former Belarusian hockey player she had dated.
Koltsov died Monday at 42 in Miami, days before the second-ranked Sabalenka was set to begin play in the Miami Open. Miami-Dade Police said the death was an apparent suicide and no foul play was suspected.
“Konstantin’s death is an unthinkable tragedy, and while we were no longer together, my heart is broken,” Sabalenka said in a statement released by her publicist Wednesday. “Please respect my privacy and his family’s privacy during this difficult time.”
Sabalenka,25, also from Belarus, had a bye in the first round of the tournament. A tournament spokesman said Wednesday the plan is for Sabalenka to play against her good friend Paula Badosa on Friday.
MIAMI GARDENS, FLA. » Andy Murray won another lengthy match with Matteo Berrettini, who appeared weary and leaned on his racket to keep his balance during Murray’s 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory at the Miami Open.
Playing his first match on the ATP Tour this season, Berrettini was serving with Murray leading 5-2 in the second set when he seemed to become dizzy, resting his racket on the court to hold himself up. He was visited by a medical attendant, who checked his blood pressure before play continued.
Berrettini left the court after dropping that set but was able to finish the match, which last 2 hours, 49 minutes.
It was a rematch of Murray’s 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 6-7 (7), 7-6 (10-6) victory that lasted more than 4 ½ hours in the first round of the 2023 Australian Open.
Stellato-Dudek, Deschamps in first place after short program
MONTREAL » Canadian pair Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps put forth an electrifying performance to place first in the short program at the world figure skating championships on Wednesday.
Stellato-Dudek of Chicago and Deschamps of Quebec shattered their season best with a 77.48 score while skating to Cirque du Soleil’s “Oxygène.”
The duo received a standing ovation from a mostly full lower bowl at the Bell Centre.
Washington AD Troy Dannen leaving for Nebraska
Nebraska hired Washington athletic director Troy Dannen on Wednesday to replace Trev Alberts, luring away the Midwesterner after less than six months on the job in Seattle.
Alberts left Nebraska late last week to become athletic director at Texas A&M. The former star football player for the Cornhuskers spent just shy of three years as the athletic director at his alma mater before leaving the Big Ten Conference school for the chance to run an SEC program.
Nebraska moved quickly to replace him with Dannen, an Iowa native who took the Washington job in October after spending nine years as AD at Tulane. Before Tulane, Dannen was AD at Northern Iowa.
Brazil court rules Robinho must serve 9-year prison term for rape
SAO PAULO » A Brazilian high court ruled Wednesday that former soccer star Robinho must serve his nine-year prison sentence in his home nation as a result of his 2017 rape conviction in Italy.
Robinho, 40, can appeal to the Brazil’s Supreme Court. Judges on Brazil’s Superior Court of Justice voted 9-2 to validate the conviction of the former Real Madrid, Manchester City and AC Milan striker.
Robinho was sentenced in Italy to nine years in prison for his part in a group sexual assault in 2013 when he played for AC Milan. Brazil doesn’t extradite nationals, which led Italy to seek his imprisonment in his home nation.
Susie Wolff files criminal complaint against FIA
The wife of Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff said Wednesday she has filed a criminal complaint in the French courts “in relation to statements made about me” by Formula 1’s governing body.
Susie Wolff is an employee of F1’s management group as director of the all-female series F1 Academy.
The FIA said in early December it was investigating the Wolffs following allegations of a conflict of interest and whether they have shared confidential information. The FIA said it was “aware of media speculation” about whether confidential information was exchanged, and that its compliance department was “looking into the matter.”
The probe began after a report in BusinessF1 magazine that rival team executives raised concerns about whether Toto and Susie Wolff passed on information discussed in private meetings. Susie Wolff reports to F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali.