Sergiy Stakhovsky news: Ukrainian former player has enlisted in the reserve army

Tennis News
Sergiy Stakhovsky

Former Ukrainian player Sergiy Stakhovsky enlisted in his country’s reserve army last week ahead of the Russian invasion on February 24.

Russia invaded the country by air, land and sea on Thursday and subsequently President Vladimir Putin declared war on Ukraine, but the 36-year-old has said he’s willing to take up arms to defend his country.

Stakhovsky lacks military experience, however he has revealed that he can handle a gun.

“Of course I would fight, it’s the only reason I’m trying to get back,” the four time ATP title winner told Sky News.

“I signed up for the reserves last week, I don’t have military experience, but I do have experience with a gun privately.

“My dad and brother are surgeons, they are stressed out, but I speak to them frequently – they sleep in the basement, none of us believed that this could happen, and yet it happened.”

The tennis world hasn’t been untouched by the events in Ukraine as former world No 21 Dayana Yastremska lived in the port city of Odessa and was forced to flee her country with her younger sister to France where she still plans on playing in the Lyon Open against Romanian opponent Ana Bogdan.

And Russian player Andrey Rublev wrote a message on the camera after his win in the semi finals against Hubert Hurkacz on Friday in the Dubai Tennis Championships simply saying “No war please.”

Fellow Russian, world No 1 Danill Medvedev also expressed his views on the war with Ukraine and called for peace.

“By being a tennis player I want to promote peace all over the world,” the 13 time title winner told reporters at the Mexican Open.

“We play in so many different countries, I’ve been in so many different countries as a junior and as a pro.

“It’s just not easy to hear all this news, I’m all for peace.”

Andrey Rublev Daniil Medvedev Dayana Yastremska Sergiy Stakhovsky

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