London /
Sergiy Stakhovsky beat Roger Federer in the second round at Wimbledon 2013. The most important victory of his career, but not the greatest battle he the former Ukrainian tennis player will have to deal. He retired after the last Australian Open, but now he will fight for his country: “I know how to use a weapon, if I have to use it, I will.”
At 36 years old, Stakhovsky is another of the Ukrainian voices in the world of tennis who has raised his voice in recent days. While Elina Svitolina, one of the best in the world, who thought of withdrawing from the Monterrey Open because she had to play against a Russian tennis player, Stakhovsky has gone one step further.
He has enlisted in the army and not at a cheap price. He has left his wife, Anfisa, and their children at home in Hungary. “It was a horrible decision”he told the BBC. “I still don’t know how I did it. It’s been very difficult for my wife. My kids don’t even know I’m here. They don’t understand what this war thing is. They’re too young to know.”
From the words of the Ukrainian, who became number 31 in the world in 2010, it follows that his wife He has told the little ones that their father has gone to play a tennis tournament.
But the racket is far from the hands of Stakhovsky, who will now be holding a rifle.
“I hope I don’t have to resort to the gun, but I know how to shoot and if I have to, I will,” explained the only tennis player capable of eliminating Federer before the Wimbledon quarterfinals since 2002.
“It makes a big difference to our military that they feel like they’re not alone, At least from a media perspective, but we also have to be realistic. It’s been eight years of war with Russia, where has all this coverage been during this time?” the Ukrainian asked.
“No one thought this could happen and it has. None of the leaders of Europe or the world is ready to help, to fight in Ukraine for a better Europe for the future. If Ukraine falls, we will resist. But let’s face it, Russia has a population of 140 million people, stretching from Europe to Alaska. It will be impossible to resist much.”
Gone is that second round of Wimbledon in which Stakhovsky, with his serve and his volley, surprised the reigning champion of the All England Club. “It was something magical,” the Ukrainian told the ATP. That victory is far away, now there is only war.
ZZM
