Tennis: Rublev, Svitolina, Dolgopolov. Reactions to Russia’s attack on Ukraine

Faced with the Russian military invasion in Ukraine, there are many messages from athletes who continue to follow each other in the timeline of social media. At the forefront are Ukrainian and Russian tennis players, closely involved in the conflict that took place during the night in Kiev. Andrey Rublev makes his closeness to the Ukrainian people felt by publishing a drawing in the Instagram stories that depicts the two countries at war, tight in an embrace.

Double symbolic

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A symbolic image, like the one that saw him protagonist last Sunday at the ATP in Marseille, where he raised the trophy of the doubles tournament together with his Ukrainian friend Molchanov. “We are normal people, not politicians,” Andrey said after the victory. “We play a sport and sport always unites”.

Svitolina destroyed

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Immense pain of the Ukrainian champion Elina Svitolina, n.15 of the WTA ranking, who as a sign of closeness to her people changed her profile image on all social accounts. A single sentence written in his own hand and with a broken heart, peeps out on Twitter: “I can’t”, I can’t do it.

Kostyuk’s message

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The stance of 19-year-old Marta Kostyuk (n.54 Wta) is strong, sharing a clear message in her Instagram stories, indirectly replying to Putin: “Ukraine has its own history, its own culture, its own language. It is a real nation, it has its own territory and it is a sovereign country. Ukraine is not part of Russia, it never was and never will be ”.

Dolgopolov asks for help

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Understanding and compassion are the demands of former champion Alexander Dolgopolov. “I ask you to keep Ukraine in your thoughts and prayers. My hometown Kiev and the whole of Ukraine are under attack right now. The bombing began during the night ”.

And again: “The whole free world must know that now only Ukraine stands between them and an insane regime! Europe, the United States, Great Britain and all the others, come forward. We need help. For now there is fighting on all fronts, but no great advancement by the occupiers. Hold on, guys ”.