Tennis
Ex-tennis player Stakhovsky in Ukraine to defend his country
(London) Former Ukrainian tennis player Sergiy Stakhovsky, 36, has joined the armed forces to defend his country against Russian invasion, although he told the BBC on Tuesday that he hopes “not to have to use a weapon fire “.
He is best known for beating Roger Federer at Wimbledon in 2013, in the second round.
I know how to use a gun. If I have to do it, I will. But I rather hope not to have to use a gun.
Sergiy Stakhovsky, in an interview with Radio 4, which belongs to the BBC
Stakhovsky retired after the last Australian Open in January and returned to Kyiv to help defend his country like many other sports figures.
He had to leave his wife and children behind in Hungary for this.
“I’m not sure how I got there,” he admitted, “I know it’s very hard for my wife. My children don’t know I’m here. They don’t understand war. They are too small to understand what is happening,” he said.
Former boxing world champion Vasiliy Lomachenko, pictured in uniform and with a machine gun slung over his face on his Facebook page, and current WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight world champion Oleksandr Usyk are also said to have joined the Ukraine to engage in the defense forces.
PHOTO PAGE FACEBOOK OF VASILIY LOMACHENKO
The former boxing world champion, Vasiliy Lomachenko (left), photographed in uniform and with a machine gun slung over his shoulder on his Facebook page.
British boxer Tyson Fury, holder of the WBC premier class belt, praised Usyk’s decision at a press conference on Tuesday ahead of his fight against compatriot Dillian Whyte scheduled for the end of April.
“I would be on the front line if England or the United States were involved in a war,” Fury said. My father and all the boys [ses frères et cousins], too. Love your women and defend your country! “, he shouted.
Legend of Ukrainian boxing and sport, Vitali Klitschko, current mayor of Kiev, will also participate in the fights, as well as his brother, Vladimir, also a long-time world heavyweight champion, who has joined the reserves.
“I am a Ukrainian and I am a fighter,” Vladimir announced on Monday.
“Our main strength is our desire to live in a free country and we decided the direction we wanted to take,” he said.
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Sophia Jhon is a sports journalist and author. He has worked as a news editor for Sportish and is now a sport columnist for the same publication. Alberta’s professional interests lie largely in sports news, with an emphasis on English football. He has also written articles on other sporting topics.