All Ukrainian tennis players, from Irina Svitolina to Marta Kostyuk (who trains in Bordighera at the Piatti Center) have expressed in these hours bewilderment and suffering for the Russian invasion. “The whole free world must know that now there is only Ukraine between them and a crazy regime – writes on social media the former n.13 of the world Alex Dolgopolov – Europe, United States, Great Britain and all the others, yes come forward. We need help. Resist, boys ».
Even more significant, however, is the message launched by one of the strongest Russian tennis players, Andrei Rublev, number 7 in the world, who after the semifinal reached at the ATp 500 in Dubai defined the initiative of his president Putin as “terrible”.
«In these moments my game doesn’t count, what’s happening is terrible. Understand how important world peace is, and respect each other, no matter who we are, and be united. We must take care of the Earth and our neighbor. In these hours many have attacked me on the internet just because I am Russian, but even if they throw stones at me I want to show that I am for peace. I’m no longer to be aggressive or anything. ” In his Instagram profile Rublev has re-posted a symbolic image of Russia and Ukraine embracing each other, and that it is not rhetoric is also explained by the fact that last Sunday in Marseille Andrey won the double alongside his Ukrainian friend and colleague, Denys Molchanov. “We are not politicians, but sportsmen, normal people, and sport always unites”.
