Ukrainian tennis player Sergiy Stakhovsky has revealed he received a “message of support” from former world No.1 Novak Djokovic.
But he did not receive the same courtesy from Djokovic’s fellow tennis legends, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, despite reaching out to them.
Stakhovsky – who only retired from professional tennis in January after failing to qualify for the Australian Open – revealed this week he’s signed up to fight for Ukraine following the invasion by Russia.
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“Djokovic sent me a message of support, we even chatted a bit,” Stakhovsky told La Stampa.
“I tried to contact Federer and Nadal, I’m sorry they preferred silence. I understand them, it’s not their war.
“We have the support of great personalities, I hope it lasts.”
Stakhovsky recognised the efforts of new world No.1 Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev – who are both Russian – to speak out against their president Vladimir Putin and his invasion of the neighbouring country.
“They (Medvedev and Rublev) are good guys, they understand the atrocity of this war,” Stakhovsky said.
“If nothing else they try to do something, others don’t.
“I have already received hundreds of messages from tennis players all over the world, shocked by what is happening. It is a help.
“It means that they understand that what Putin says about Nazi Ukrainians is false.”
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