One month after ex-boyfriend's suicide, Sabalenka gets engaged to new boyfriend; another female player receives death threats

Recently, Belarusian star Aryna Sabalenka achieved a "perfect harvest" in the game of life—not only securing a nomination for the Laureus Awards for the second consecutive year, but also accepting a romantic marriage proposal from a Brazilian tycoon, officially leaving behind the shadow of her ex-boyfriend's suicide.

Just yesterday, current women's tennis world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka posted a romantic video on her personal social media showing her being proposed to by her Brazilian boyfriend Georgios Frangulis, along with the sweet caption: "You & me, forever." In the video, Sabalenka showed a surprised and moved expression when faced with her boyfriend's sudden kneeling proposal.

It is reported that this fiancé from Brazil, Georgios, is 38 years old this year, the founder of the superfood brand Oakberry, with a net worth exceeding $200 million (approximately 1.4 billion RMB); the two met at an F1 event in early April 2024 and quickly began dating and fell in love. It is worth mentioning that Georgios is not only a successful businessman but also a thyroid cancer survivor. This relationship was seen by fans on the Russian internet as Sabalenka's "true love sanctuary" after emerging from the shadow of her ex-boyfriend's death.

However, this heartwarming story has actually sparked considerable controversy, because in March 2024, Sabalenka's ex-boyfriend, former Belarusian ice hockey player Konstantin Koltsov, fell to his death from a hotel in Miami at the age of 42. At the time, Miami police determined it to be an "apparent suicide," and Sabalenka, who was preparing for the Miami Open at the time, issued a statement after the incident: "Konstantin's death is an unthinkable tragedy, and even though we were no longer together, my heart is broken."

Calculating this, Sabalenka actually met her new boyfriend about a month after her ex-boyfriend's death. Consequently, Sabalenka has once again faced criticism and questioning from many netizens.

Nevertheless, Sabalenka has previously experienced similar online bullying. At that time, some accused her of being "heartless and cold-blooded" for continuing to compete after her boyfriend's death, with some even describing her as a "ruthless woman who would stop at nothing for glory." It was only after Sabalenka clarified that they had already broken up that these controversies gradually subsided. During that difficult period, she still trained wearing black clothes, expressing respect for the deceased through silence.

Regarding this, some netizens commented: "From emerging from the shadow of losing her ex-boyfriend last year to now being pampered like a princess, I'm truly happy for her! This is how life should be." (Weibo user) Other netizens said, "Her new boyfriend has a net worth of 1.4 billion and has overcome cancer—this is practically a real-life 'rainbow after the storm.' Best wishes to Saba!" Some also remarked sarcastically, "Clearly, every one of her romantic experiences is extraordinary. She is not just a tennis legend; she's a legend in her personal life too!"

Turning to another piece of tennis news, Italian player Stefanie recently experienced a heart-pounding nightmare.

In the first round of the qualifying match, the world No. 138 Stefanie fought hard for three sets, losing 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 after a reversal, ending her run in disappointment. However, the loss paled in comparison to the shocking truth revealed after the match. A few hours after the match ended, the Italian player posted a tearful video on Instagram exposing the terrifying threats she received before the match.

"Today, I'm making this video to tell you what happened to me yesterday," Stefanie said in the video. "Around 1 p.m. yesterday, I received a WhatsApp message threatening me to lose the match. They threatened me and my family. They mentioned my parents' names, my address, and even sent me a picture of a weapon!"

She stated that this immense psychological pressure made her extremely uneasy, but she chose to fight back: "Despite all this, I fought until the very last moment, trying to win the match, because I cannot allow these people to intimidate me."

After this incident came to light, it caused an uproar in the tennis world. Angelo Binaghi, President of the Italian Tennis and Padel Federation, was furious, denouncing it as an "intolerable" criminal act: "Sending weapon pictures, possessing personal private information, and manipulating matches through intimidation—this has entered the realm of criminal offense. Such behavior must receive an immediate legal response!"

It is reported that the WTA and tournament organizers immediately enhanced Stefanie's security level after receiving the report, but this incident once again brought the increasingly serious issues of gambling threats and online violence in professional tennis into the spotlight.

Netizens commented, "This is terrifying! This is no longer within the realm of sports; it's outright crime. Players are not playthings for gamblers." "Fighting until the last moment under such psychological pressure—she may have lost, but she is honorable. I hope the WTA and the International Tennis Integrity Agency investigate thoroughly and protect player safety." "The Italian player is so brave; it takes immense courage to publicly expose such threats. I hope she and her family stay safe."(Source: Tennis Home Author: Lu Xiaotian)