Former Ukrainian tennis player Sergiy Stakhovsky, 36, joined the armed forces to defend his country from the Russian invasion, although he told BBChoping not to “need to use a gun”.

“I know how to use a weapon. If I have to do it, I will do it. “But I probably hope I do not have to use a weapon,” he told the station. Radio 4 owned by the British Public Group.

Known for beating Roger Federer at Wimbledon in 2013 in the second round, Stakhovski retired after the last Australian Open in January and returned to Kyiv to defend his country like many other sports personalities.

He had to leave his wife and children behind in Hungary for that.

“I’m not sure how I got there,” he admitted. “I know it’s very difficult for my wife. My children do not know that I am here. They do not understand the war. “They are too young to understand what is happening.”

Former world boxing champion Vasiliy Lomachenko, pictured in uniform and with a machine gun hanging from his face on his Facebook page, and current WBA, IBF and WBO world heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk are also said to have joined Ukraine for forces. .

British boxer Tyson Fury, holder of the WBC top class belt, praised Usyk’s decision at a press conference on Tuesday ahead of his fight against compatriot Dillian Whyte scheduled for late April.

“I would be at the forefront if Britain or the United States got involved in a war,” Fury said. My father and all the boys (his siblings and cousins), too. Love your women and defend your country! “, cried.

Ukrainian boxing and sports legend Vitali Klitschko, the current mayor of Kiev, will also take part in the races, as will his brother Vladimir, also a long-time world heavyweight champion who has entered the reserves.

“I am Ukrainian and I am a fighter,” Vladimir said on Monday.

“Our main strength is our desire to live in a free country and we decided the direction we wanted to follow,” he said.