Miami Herald

Boyfriend of a top-seeded Miami Open player jumped from a Bal Harbour hotel, cops say

- BY DAVID J. NEAL dneal@miamiheral­d.com

The boyfriend of the world’s No. 2 women’s tennis player and a top seed in the Miami Open jumped to his death from a Bal Harbour hotel early

Monday, Miami-Dade police said.

Konstantin Koltsov, a Belarus native whose 19year pro hockey career included three with the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins, was 42 years old.

Aryna Sabalenka had not withdrawn from the Miami

Open as of Tuesday afternoon, according to tournament officials. After her first-round bye as the No. 2 seed, Sabalenka was scheduled to start her tournament Thursday against the winner of the Simona Halep-. Paula Bedosa first-round match.

Miami-Dade police detailed that in Monday’s first hour, around 12:39 a.m., Bal Harbour Police and Fire Rescue found Koltsov after he jumped from a balcony at the St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort, 9703 Collins Ave. Though Miami-Dade’s homicide detectives are handing the investigat­ion, the department said nothing other than Koltsov taking his own life is suspected.

Pittsburgh took Koltsov 18th overall in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft, but the forward played in only 144 NHL games, scoring 12 goals and picking up only 26 assists from 2002 through 2006.

He achieved much more success in the Russian League and internatio­nal play. Koltsov played for the Belarus national team in 10 IIHF World Championsh­ip tournament­s and the 2002 and 2010 Olympics, serving as captain for some of the tournament­s. He played for several Russian League teams, including Spartak Moscow and Metallurg Novkuznets­k.

If you or someone you know is thinking about self-harm, call the toll-free 24/7 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988.

Miami Herald Sports Writer Michelle Kaufman contribute­d to this report.

David J. Neal: 305-376-3559, @DavidJNeal

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