Written by Richard Pagliaro | @Itenisi_Manje | Wednesday, December 11, 2024
Photo credit: Getty
Armed with his racquet, Elina Svitolina presented his tennis dreams in Kharkiv.
A camouflaged Svitolina returned to Kharkiv armed with an automatic weapon in a fearless show of support for fellow Ukrainians.
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Ever since Russia invaded Ukraine in February of 2022, Svitolina has been an advocate for her nation and human rights causes during the ongoing brutal war.
In a social media post with photos of her trip to Kharkiv, Svitolina said she was inspired by the bravery of her countrymen and the collective courage Ukrainians have shown under attack.
“If you ask me, where do I get the motivation to fight in the stadiums? This is my country, my people, my Kharkiv and our heroes,” said Svitolina in an Instagram post.
Last January, Svitolina, Dayana Yastremska and Marta Kostyuk made history at the Australian Open. For the first time in the history of the Open Era, three Ukrainian women reached at least the fourth round of a Grand Slam in Melbourne.
Svitolina said the resilience of the Ukrainian people on display every day has fueled her fighting spirit on the court, but admits the ongoing battle leaves her feeling scared and empty of death and destruction.
“People who haven't experienced it can't really understand what it's like to be homeless, to feel safe somewhere, to have a family in Ukraine, under bombs, to know that Ukrainian cities are being destroyed,” Svitolina said. L'Equipe. “Both fear and great emptiness.”
