Classes and matches constantly have to be interrupted due to air threats
Captain of the Ukrainian tennis team Mikhail Philima spoke about what is happening with tennis in our country in conditions of war and constant threats.
“You know, I’m not only the captain of the national team, I’m also the director of a large tennis club in Ukraine. And I can very simply explain what is happening now with our tennis. In order to ensure the training process and hold tournaments, we were forced to build a bomb shelter in our club. As soon as the air raid starts, everything stops – classes, matches… Everyone has to go to the shelter. These are the requirements. And these are the demands of not only the authorities, these are the demands of our Ukrainian present.”
“How often do shelling occur? Numerous strikes are carried out across Ukraine every day; in Kyiv, the siren can sound several times a week, and sometimes several times a day. Is it dangerous. In such an environment it is very difficult to concentrate on tennis. We are trying our best, but it is very difficult. Nobody knows when this will end. Sometimes we get good news, but a few hours later we get bad news.”
Philima spoke with reporters on the eve of the Billie Jean King Cup playoff match, in which the Ukrainian women’s team will face the Netherlands.
The playoff match will take place in Vilnius on November 11-12. The match will be hosted by SEB Arena, the matches will take place on indoor hard courts. Ukraine will be the host of the confrontation with the Netherlands.
Let us remember that in April Ukraine lost to the Czech Republic (1:3) and for the second time in a row failed to make it to the finals of the Billie Jean King Cup. The winners of the playoff matches will have the opportunity to qualify for the 2024 tournament.
In the early hours of February 24, 2022, Russia launched rocket and air strikes on most Ukrainian cities and then launched a full-scale military invasion. The war against Russia has continued for the 625th day.
Source: Sportarena
I’m Rose Brown , a journalist and writer with over 10 years of experience in the news industry. I specialize in covering tennis-related news for Athletistic, a leading sports media website. My writing is highly regarded for its quick turnaround and accuracy, as well as my ability to tell compelling stories about the sport.
