"Congratulations again my love" - Aryna Sabalenka's boyfriend Konstantin Koltsov applauds her on triumph at the 2024 Australian Open

Aryna Sabalenka was crowned the champion of the 2024 Australian Open on January 27 and received heartfelt congratulations from her boyfriend, Konstantin Koltsov.

Sabalenka was the No. 2 seed and the defending champion at Melbourne. She did not drop any set throughout the competition and easily swept aside her rival in the title contest, No. 12 seed Zheng Qinwen. The Belarusian applied a clinical finish to her spotless record at the 2024 Australian Open, downing Zheng in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2.

Sabalenka won the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup for the second consecutive year and received AUD 3,150,000 in prize money along with global praise. Her boyfriend Konstantin Kotlsov, posted a photo on Instagram congratulating Sabalenka on her triumph.

"Congratulations again my love," Konstantin Koltsov wrote in an Instagram Story.

Screengrab from Instagram

Aryna Sabalenka and Konstantin Koltsov's relationship became public knowledge in June 2021. They both hail from Minsk, Belarus. Koltsov is a former ice hockey player who has represented Belarus at the 2002 and the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Before being in a relationship with Koltsov, the WTA World No. 2 was reportedly engaged in November 2019 but kept the identity of her fiance under wraps.

Since making their relationship public, Sabalenka has often posted pictures with Koltsov on social media, and they have been spotted vacationing together in Rome, Italy; Florida; and Mallorca, Spain.

Aryna Sabalenka reveals how her win at 2024 Australian Open was different from her triumph last year

Aryna Sabalenka

Aryna Sabalenka became the first woman to defend her title at the Australian Open since fellow countrywoman Victoria Azarenka did it in 2013. Sabalenka bettered Ella Seidel, Brenda Fruhvirtova, Lesia Tsurenko, Amanda Anisimova, Barbora Krejcikova, Coco Gauff, and Zheng Qinwen in Melbourne this year.

Last year, she defeated Elena Rybakina in the title contest to win her maiden Grand Slam title. After her triumph this year, the 25-year-old reflected on how winning the title this year was different from the last.

In her post-match press conference, Sabalenka stated that she used to find it funny when players would get emotional after winning a Grand Slam title, especially after they had done it many times previously.

However, after winning two Majors titles, Sabalenka understands that every win is memorable in its own way.

"So I feel like, because before I was watching all these champions crying after each Slam, I was, like, come on, you've done it, like, 15 times," Aryna Sabalenka said. "Why are you still crying? Right now, I didn't even get to that point, but I feel like I understand why they still crying," the Belarusian said.

"Because every time, the same pressure, the same expectations. You want it same way. So it's always emotional. Yeah, it's still the same, you know," she added.