Tennis star returns home to fight against Russia | Ukraine News | NewsRme

Sergiy Stakhovsky, a Ukrainian tennis player, was vacationing in Dubai with his family when Russian soldiers invaded his homeland.
Leaving his wife and three small children behind in Hungary, he returned to his nation to join the battle. He is currently a reserve in the army, assisting in the defense of Kyiv, Ukraine's capital.
The 36-year-old claims he is ready to do everything it takes to protect his community from an approaching Russian military convoy. On Thursday, he told CNN's Brianna Keilar that he wanted to help preserve Ukraine for the sake of its people and his own children's future.
Prior to the Australian Open, Stakhovsky had announced his retirement from tennis, concluding an 18-year career. Currently, he's holed up in Kyiv with his fellow citizen troops, and he's unsure of what to do.
Stakhovsky was originally rated 31st in the world, but he stunned Roger Federer at Wimbledon in 2013.
His last professional match came in the Australian Open in January. Now that he's retired, his retirement days are filled with anxiety and worry as he keeps his ears peeled for air raid sirens and explosions.
People like Stakhovsky, who are inexperienced in combat but intensely patriotic, make up a significant portion of Ukraine's defenders, he said in an interview.
But abandoning his wife and kids to risk his life was not an easy option.
Men between the ages of 18 and 60 have been enlisted by the Ukrainian government to combat the Russian invasion.
Other sports stars, like FC Sheriff Tiraspol manager Yuriy Vernydub, have come back to Ukraine and joined the fight against the government. Both Oleksandr Usyk and Vasilii Lomachenko are champion boxers.


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