‘Mum, dad, we love you’: Tennis star Dayana Yastremska flees Ukraine with sister

Former World No. 21 tennis star Dayana Yastremska and her family have made a heartbreaking call amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Former World No. 21 women’s tennis player Dayana Yastremska has revealed she is safe in France after her parents forced her and her sister to flee Ukraine.

As Russia continued its invasion of Ukraine and laid siege to the capital of Kyiv, the sporting world was quick to condemn the violence, which has sparked outrage around the globe.

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On Friday, Yastremska posted on Instagram that she was “in my home town and staying in with my family”.

She added: “I haven’t left home to do my favourite job. There’s a war in Ukraine! I love you all and I genuinely believe that peace will be restored soon! Stay safe!”

But on the weekend, a series of pictures showed the tennis star and her 15-year-old sister Ivanna leaving their homeland.

“After spending two nights in the underground parking, my parents made a decision at any cost to send me and my little sister out of Ukraine! Mum, Dad, we love you very much, take care of yourself!!! I love you my country! Ukrainians take care of your lives,” Yastremska wrote.

The tennis star uploaded a series of pictures and videos in her social media post, which showed her sister crying and the pair waving goodbye to their parents.

ESPN reported the pair got on a boat 240km from their home in Odessa to the city of Izmail.

It's devastating scenes for the Yastremskas. Photo: Instagram

Fellow tennis stars commented on Yastremska’s posts.

“Praying for you and your parents! Sending love and strength,” 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens wrote.

Amanda Anisimova, Victoria Azarenka, Yulia Putintseva and fellow Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk all added heart emojis.

The sisters went through Romania but have ended up in France, ahead of the Lyon Open, where Yastremska will play.

Yastremska also posted in her Instagram stories, writing: “Tired, but my sister and I are safe! Thank you France. Ukraine, stay strong. We miss you home, mum and dad!”

The girls are safe in France. Photo: Instagram

Yastremska said she is constantly messaging and calling home to check on her parents, who are safe.

“I am so scared,” she told ESPN. “We don’t need to kill each other like this.

“I am scared for my parents, my friends, and everybody in my country. For you to understand what a missile strike is like, you need to feel it. But, I wish (nobody) has to ever feel this (pain).”

The highest ranked tennis player from Ukraine is World No. 15 Elina Svitolina, who told Sky News: “I’m shocked still in this terrible nightmare of what’s happening in Ukraine. I’m really praying every single minute for my family for my friends for all people in Ukraine and around the world for safety, for peace.

“It’s really stressful for me because I cannot do anything. I cannot go and help them. I wish I could help him. I can’t even imagine what they are going through.

“It’s something that’s bigger than everything. It’s war, it’s the people and we have to stop it.”

Originally published as ‘Mum, dad, we love you’: Tennis star Dayana Yastremska flees Ukraine with sister