The two tennis players put us in mind of their nation’s courageous president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, when platitudes such as “world peace” can ring hollow.
Until just a few days ago, some tennis fans would probably greet the name Elina Svitolina with an eye roll and shrug. A gifted 27-year-old who has won 16 titles and has been ranked as high as No. 3, Svitolina was also prone to coming unglued under pressure in big tournaments.
Until the other day, Sergiy Stakhovsky, a 36-year-old who retired from tennis without fanfare after failing to qualify for the Australian Open this year, was a mid-level pro best known for having once stunned Roger Federer at Wimbledon.
Today, as invading Russian forces rain hell on defense units and civilians alike in Ukraine, Svitolina and Stakhovsky stand as paragons of courage—proving, once again, that the most unlikely people can pop up to become heroes when the stakes are enormous. Bigger than in any tennis tournament, of course; rather, when it’s time to STFU and do or at least say something meaningful.
In a small way, Stakhovsky and Svitolina put us in mind of their nation’s courageous president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Svitolina, generally one of the more cheerful players on tour, went beyond broadcasting her support for her homeland on social media platforms. She declared that she would protest Russia’s actions by refusing to play a match against any Russian player, a decision that served as a wake-up call to the dozing WTA. Partly as a result of Svitolina’s principled stand, the international governing bodies of tennis, including the WTA, introduced sanctions that, among other things, pulled the plug on tournaments in Russia. While allowing Russian players to compete, they will not be allowed to compete in the name of, or under the flag of, Russia.
Svitolina’s refusal to compete against a Russian may not seem entirely fair to some of her peers, but—hold that thought for a moment.
Stakhovsky, whose career-high ranking was No. 31, declared over the weekend that he is returning to Ukraine to fight, saying on a social media post (via translation): “I am proud of every Ukrainian. I am proud to be Ukrainian. Believe in our military. . . believe in our invincibility. Glory to Ukraine.”