: Ex-tennis pro Stakhovsky in Ukraine with a gun in my hands #IndiaNEWS #Sports Washington: About 1 1/2 months after the last match of Sergiy Stakhovskys professional tennis career, the 36-year-old

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Ex-tennis pro Stakhovsky in Ukraine with a gun in my hands #IndiaNEWS #Sports
Washington: About 1 1/2 months after the last match of Sergiy Stakhovskys professional tennis career, the 36-year-old Ukrainian left his wife and three young children in Hungary and went back to his birthplace to help however he could during Russias invasion.
I dont have the words to describe it. I would never imagine in my life that it would come to this — that I would be in my home city With a gun in my hands, Stakhovsky said Saturday, rubbing his left cheek with his palm during a video interview with The Associated Press from what he said was a residential building in Kyiv, Ukraines beleaguered capital.
A lot of people are saying that theyre waking up and hoping It was just a bad dream. But, you know, on Day 16, (that) doesnt work anymore,� he said.
First couple of days, (its) surreal. You dont believe that its actually happening. And the next thing you know, you get used to it, and youre just trying to find a way of helping your country to actually survive.
At age 12, eyeing a life in tennis, Stakhovsky began splitting his time between Ukraine and the Czech Republic to improve his game. He turned pro in 2003, won four titles in singles and another four in doubles, and earned more than million in prize money.
Highlights included rising to a best ATP ranking of No. 31 in 2010, reaching the third round of Grand Slam tournaments six times, and pulling off one of the biggest upsets in the sports history when he ended Roger Federers record streak of 36 consecutive major quarterfinal appearances by beating him 6-7 (5), 7-6 (5), 7-5, 7-6 (5) in the second round at Wimbledon in 2013.
In January, Stakhovsky walked away from the sport after losing to American J. J. Wolf in the first round of qualifying for the Australian Open.
Retirement did not go as planned. On Feb. 24, Russia began attacking Ukraine. In the wee hours of Feb. 28, Stakhovsky arrived in Kyiv.
Youre one second safe. The next second, something flies in, and no one is safe,� he said.
He said hes received hundreds of messages of support from members of the tennis world players, coaches, officials and mentioned a few by name: Richard Gasquet, Lucas Pouille, Aljaz Bedene and Novak Djokovic, the 20-time Grand Slam champion whose text messages Stakhovsky shared via social media.
Working with what he described as a branch of the Ukraine armed forces that can only be used inside the city premises — he said it was created “a couple of years back to actually support the infrastructure of the city in case of war, which nobody actually believed in, but unfortunately did happen� — Stakhovsky said his days are divided into two-hour shifts followed by six hours off.

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