Tennis ace Aryna Sabalenka looked happy after going public with her new boyfriend.
The world number two was all smiles as she walked hand-in-hand with dashing racing driver-turned-entrepreneur Georgios Frangulis at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix this weekend in Italy.
Sabalenka, 26, posted photos taken on the Imola circuit on social media as she took time off from preparations for Roland-Garros which begins in Paris this weekend.
The photos and video footage were met with the usual complimentary comments congratulating the “beautiful couple” and wishing them the best for the future.
But this message also led the Belarusian, a two-time Grand Slam winner, to find herself the target of a volley of cruel and hurtful remarks from her 1.8 million followers who are less impressed by her last match of love.
Tennis star Aryna Sabalenka posted photos on social media taken at the Imola circuit as she took time off from preparations ahead of Roland Garros this weekend.
Sabalenka holding hands with her new boyfriend Georgios Frangulis (pictured, center) at the Grand Prix d’Émilie
But this message also led the Belarusian, a two-time Grand Slam winner, to find himself the target of a volley of cruel and hurtful remarks.
She previously dated Konstantin Koltsov, who left his wife and children to begin an affair with her. He was found dead a few weeks ago in a Miami hotel in a suspected suicide.
Sabalenka shares a kiss with Koltsov, who was a professional ice hockey star for his country
They refer to the tangled love life of the tennis star whose romances have sparked controversy.
First there was former professional ice hockey star Konstantin Koltsov who left his wife and three children after starting an affair with Sabalenka.
Tragically, Koltsov, 42, was found dead a few weeks ago following a suspected suicide.
Now Brazil-born Frangulis, 35, appears to be heading to the divorce courts after his wife apparently announced the end of their eight-year marriage.
After the couple was spotted kissing at a recent tournament, a tennis fan reportedly sent a private message to Frangulis’ wife, Beh Armentano, asking if Sabalenka had “disrupted his marriage.”
She allegedly replied: “I am married to Georgios but I am going to file for divorce. They’re having an affair from California.
According to her Facebook page, Armentano married Frangulis on October 1, 2016.
In the exchanges, she describes him as “the love of my life”. Meanwhile, Frangulis reportedly deleted his wife’s photos from his own social media pages.
Frangulis is the founder of the superfood brand Oakberry which sponsors the American F1 team Haas.
It’s unclear exactly when he first met Sabalenka, but she’s also linked to his brand after signing a two-year sponsorship deal in January – days before he successfully launched a bid to defend his title at the Australian Open.
Some fans expressed shock that Sabalenka went public with her new romance so soon after Koltsov’s death following his fall from the 23rd floor balcony of a five-star hotel in Miami on March 18.
Sabalenka – who is based in Miami – later revealed that her four-year relationship with the former NFL star ended before the tragedy occurred.
She had faced backlash when the romance began, as Koltsov – a fellow Belarusian who represented his country at two Winter Olympics and was head coach of the national team – had enjoyed a long marriage to his wife, real estate agent and interior designer, Julia Mikhailova.
Mikhailova, born in Latvia, was left heartbroken after Koltsov left the family home when the youngest of their three children was still a toddler.
In an emotional post on Instagram at the time of the split in April 2020, she posted a photo of the couple sharing a kiss on a beach, saying: “This will be the last photo with him on my Insta where we are together and where we were “. incredibly happy! »
Koltsov had enjoyed a long marriage to Julia Mikhailova, a real estate agent and wife of an interior designer.
Mikhailova, born in Latvia, was left heartbroken after Koltsov left the family home when the youngest of their three children was still a toddler.
Sabalenka burst onto the tennis scene as a teenager and quickly became one of the game’s most formidable opponents.
Some fans were shocked that Sabalenka revealed her new romance so soon after Koltsov’s death.
Explaining why she moved to a new apartment, she said: “We broke up. It happens – and it hurts.
In the message, which was expressly intended for Sabalenka’s attention, she referred to the fact that she had to raise three children, including a son less than a year old.
Mikhailova added: “And a call to all girls who cling to other people’s husbands and have children in the family! It’s mean!
“This is the most amazing and happy moment, but at the same time the most difficult, because a small child requires a lot of energy, energy and time… Maybe one day you will be there too…”
Since then, Mikhailova seems to have forgiven Sabalenka, recently explaining to one of her followers: “It was very painful at the time and the message was dictated by emotions. More than four years have passed and now I look at the situation from a different perspective.
“We have a good relationship with my ex-husband’s girlfriend.”
And in an interview with a Belarusian news site following the death of her ex-husband, she said: “She’s a nice girl. My post a few years ago was driven by emotions, it was very painful. I loved Konstantin very much… but Sabalenka treated my children well, so I have a normal attitude towards him.’
Mikhailova said she believed her husband had been drinking the night of the tragedy and that his death was an accident.
She said Koltsov planned to visit her and her sons Daniil, 18, Alexander, 16, and Stefan, five, at their home, a mile and a half from the scene of the tragedy.
No suicide note was found and Mikhailova said her ex-husband was looking forward to dinner with the children.
She declined to comment further on the matter when contacted by MailOnline, saying: “I’m sorry, I can’t speak at the moment – there’s nothing to say.”
Sabalenka – who sports two creepy tiger tattoos, one on her left forearm and the other on her upper left thigh – burst onto the scene as a teenager and is quickly become one of the most formidable opponents in the game.
At just 19 years old, she became engaged to a man she never named and whose identity remains a mystery.
After announcing the news in November 2019, she said: “It’s just an engagement. I am a little against weddings, against this event as such.
This happened around the time that Sabalenka’s father, Sergey, a former ice hockey player who had helped launch his career, died suddenly at the age of just 43 after contracting meningitis .
Sabalenka was first publicly linked to Koltsov in June 2021 when the tennis star began frequently posting photos of them together on her Instagram account.
He became a frequent guest in the players’ box as he followed her on tour and Sabalenka called him her “dearest person, my best friend and my greatest support”.
Her career went from strength to strength during this relationship as she clinched her first Grand Slam title at the 2023 Australian Open, on her way to becoming world number one.
Koltsov’s death came just days before Sabalenka was to play at the nearby Miami Open.
She decided to take part in the event and beat her best friend Paula Badosa in straight sets just four days after the tragedy before losing in the next round.
Sabalenka dines at a restaurant with Franqulis. A tennis fan reportedly sent a private message to his wife Beh Armentano asking if Sabalenka had “disrupted his marriage.”
Sabalenka holds the finalists’ trophy after losing to Iga Swiatek in the Italian Open final
She withdrew from tournament press conferences but continued speaking about her grief, saying: “Konstantin’s death is an unthinkable tragedy, and even though we were no longer together, my heart is broken.”
“I want to take a moment to thank all of my fans for your love and support during this difficult time.
“Your kind words mean so much and I carry them with me every day.
“I am very grateful to all of you.”
She was first spotted holding Frangulis at the Madrid Open last month.
Rumors of a relationship with another married man began to circulate.
Frangulis was in the stands after Sabalenka cruised his way to the final of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia tournament in Rome last week.
After losing the match 6-2, 6-3 to Iga Swaitek, Sabalenka thanked Frangulis for being by her side, saying: “As I promised, Georgios, thank you for your support.”
She then made a heart gesture with her hands and blew him a kiss.
The couple then dined with friends at Rome’s Taverna Trilussa restaurant that evening before heading to the Grand Prix the following day.
She is now ready to face her first big test on the field as she competes for the second major trophy of the season – no doubt with Frangulis cheering her on all the way.
