Russian Missile Destroys Odesa Apartment of Tennis Star Dayana Yastremska
Ukrainian tennis star Dayana Yastremska announced that a Russian cruise missile completely destroyed her family's apartment in Odesa, leaving only a Roland Garros towel intact amid the wreckage.
Russian Missile Destroys Odesa Apartment of Ukrainian Tennis Star
Ukrainian tennis player Dayana Yastremska announced that a Russian missile completely destroyed her family's apartment in Odesa. The world number 113 shared images and videos on Instagram detailing the extensive destruction caused by the strike.
"This is what the 'Russian world' looks like," Yastremska wrote. A cruise missile struck their residential building directly, causing massive fires and structural collapse.
The only thing that survived was a towel from Roland Garros. Symbolic. A piece of the tennis world survived a Russian missile. Our home, however, did not survive.
Criticism of International Tennis Governing Bodies
Following the attack, Yastremska directed sharp criticism at international sports organizations, calling out the stance of sports bodies regarding neutral athletes.
-
WTA and ITF: Urged officials to examine the reality from the Ukrainian perspective.
-
Neutrality: Criticized the current framework allowing Russian athletes to compete under neutral flags.
Since the outbreak of the war, Russian players have continued to compete on the global circuit under neutral status, excluding team events and the 2022 Wimbledon tournament. Ukrainian athletes, including top-ranked Elina Svitolina, whose padel club in Kyiv was also recently damaged in strikes, continue to press for clearer stances and accountability from international sports organizations.
