Ukrainian tennis stars take up arms against Russia's invasion


It's not the type of match they're used to, but three of Ukraine's most famous tennis stars — Sergiy Stakhovsky, Andriy Medvedev, and Alexandr Dolgopolov — have joined the forces fighting to defend the country from Russia's unprovoked invasion, The New York Times reports Friday.
Dolgopolov, 33, who retired last year following a wrist injury, said he trained in Turkey before traveling back to Kyiv this week, per the Times. The player announced his decision to fight on Wednesday.
"I am not Rambo in a week, but quite comfortable with the weapons," he said in a statement. "This is my home, and we will defend it!"
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Medvedev, 47, was a top men's singles player in the 1990s, while Stakhovsky, 36, retired from professional tennis in January. He was on vacation in Hungary with his family when the war broke out, and left them so he could return home, per the Times.
"I don't have the words to describe it. I would never imagine in my life that it would come to this — that I would be in my home city … with a gun in my hands," Srakhovsky told The Associated Press this weekend. He initially announced his decision to join his country's army at the beginning of March.
"I know that it is extremely hard on my wife," Stakhovsky said on BBC Radio 4 Today, per Sports Illustrated. "My kids don't know that I'm here. They don't understand war. They're too little to understand what's going on."
Other Ukrainian athletes to have taken up or have vowed to take up arms include boxers Oleksandr Usyk and Vasiliy Lomachenko, and former heavyweight champions Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko, the latter of which is now the mayor of Kyiv, Reuters reports.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brigid Kennedy worked at The Week from 2021 to 2023 as a staff writer, junior editor and then story editor, with an interest in U.S. politics, the economy and the music industry.
-
The countries around the world without jury trials
The Explainer Legal systems in much of continental Europe and Asia do not rely on randomly selected members of the public
-
How did the Wagner Group recruit young British men for arson attack?
Today's Big Question Russian operatives have been using encrypted messaging apps to groom saboteurs across Europe
-
The best graphic novels
The Week Recommends These inventive illustrated books will transport you to another world
-
Thunder beat Pacers to clinch NBA Finals
Speed Read Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Indiana Pacers in Game 7 of the NBA Finals
-
MLB lifts ban on Pete Rose, other dead players
speed read 16 deceased players banned for gambling and other scandals can now be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame
-
Canada beats US in charged 4 Nations hockey final
Speed Read 'You can't take our country — and you can't take our game,' Prime Minister Justin Trudeau posted after the game
-
Eagles trounce Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX
speed read The Philadelphia Eagles beat the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22
-
Indian teen is youngest world chess champion
Speed Read Gukesh Dommaraju, 18, unseated China's Ding Liren
-
Europe roiled by attacks on Israeli soccer fans
Speed Read Israeli fans supporting the Maccabi Tel Aviv team clashed with pro-Palestinian protesters in 'antisemitic attacks,' Dutch authorities said
-
New York wins WNBA title, nearly nabs World Series
Speed Read The Yankees with face the Los Angeles Dodgers in the upcoming Fall Classic
-
Ukraine's Olympians: going for gold in the line of fire
Under the Radar Hundreds of the country's athletes have died in battle, while those who remain deal with the psychological toll of war and prospect of Russian competitors