Ukrainian player turned soldier hits back at Nadal over Wimbledon’s ban on Russian players

A retired Ukrainian tennis player now serving in his country’s army has hit back at Rafael Nadal over the Wimbledon ban on Russian players.

Ukrainian former world No.31 Sergiy Stakhovsky on patrol in Kyiv

A retired Ukrainian tennis player who is now serving in his country’s army has hit back at Rafael Nadal for describing Wimbledon’s ban on Russian competitors as “very unfair”.

Sergiy Stakhovsky, the former world No.31 who famously defeated Roger Federer in the second round of Wimbledon in 2013, joined Ukraine’s military reserves two days after the Russian invasion started in February.

The 36-year-old’s experience of street patrols in Kyiv and missions elsewhere as an armed escort has left him unhappy with Nadal’s response to the All England Club’s decision to refuse entries from Russia and Belarus this summer.

“I think it’s very unfair (on) my Russian tennis mates,” Nadal said on Sunday. “It’s not their fault.”

On Tuesday Stakhovsky sent a message to Nadal in full public view on Twitter. “Please tell me how it is fair that Ukrainian players cannot return home,” he wrote. “How it is fair that Ukrainian kids cannot play tennis? How is it fair that Ukrainians are dying?”

He later added: “If anyone could please find a quote where Russian or Belarus players condemn the invasion in Ukraine? And don’t tag the ‘no war’ or ‘stop war’ (messages) ‘cause these statements sound like if Ukrainians would stop fighting (it) would stop.”

ATP and WTA tour chiefs are still considering whether to remove ranking points from Wimbledon and the various LTA warm-up tournaments.

Novak Djokovic branded the ban “crazy”, while Andy Murray said that he was “not supportive of players getting banned.”

The Times