Russian-Ukrainian War and Mariupol News: Live Updates

Ukrainians, with some help from the United States’ team captainKatie Rinaldi, cleaned up a bit of streamers. But how different official began to take them off altogether, Yastremskaya insisted that they remain next to tape for photographer.

“They were in colors of USA and me wanted leave it next to the Ukrainian flowers,” she said. in interview. ‘Cause I think it’s good sign of in support we got here and sign for world. I wanted stay.”

It was like this of week in Asheville: Symbolic gestures were more indelible than results and ordinary rules of the engagement was rewritten in trying to blunt the edges of a national team competition.

“It was hard don’t cry,” said 78-year-old Billie Jean King, an American. who once marked in it is a competition that used to be known as the Fed Cup long before it was renamed. for her in 2020. Visited both teams on Friday shortly before play started. “I just I hope the Ukrainians had a moment of escapism.”

After the Russian invasion of Ukraine in In February, representatives of the US Tennis Association proposed to postpone this qualifying-round match. The Ukrainians objected, but when it came time to book hotels in Asheville, they admitted they no longer have money for regular visit team expenses.

“We said, ‘No problem, we’ll cover all your local expenses,’” said Stacey Allaster, CEO for professional tennis at the USTA, which also provided support staff to the delegation. “With the war, it’s so terrible what’s going on on. What can anyone do? But we can all do small things, and what we can do is provide a platform for to demonstrate to Ukrainians that they are strong, they are fighting and are not going to give up.”

Posters around it city in in the mountains of the Blue Ridge was not written “US vs. Ukraine”. They read: “US accepts Ukraine.” The switchboard blinked information on how make a donation to the Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund, and around $225,000 was raised. in connection with in matches. An American fan group supported individual players instead of chanting “Go USA!”

“We were just trying to find the right tone and balance,” Allaster said.

Ukrainian playersall of who else has family members in their warring country, felt they had done the right thing: from an informal dinner for in teams in Asheville restaurant on Tuesday night to an exciting a cappella performance of Ukrainian national the anthem of Yulia Kashirets that left members of both teams in tears a few minutes before matches started.

“We came here to play No against USA, but with USA for Ukraine and this how it seemed to me,” said Katarina Zawatskaya.

What happened in part because of numerous fans with Ukrainian connections and flags. Christina Diakiv, 15, student at William Floyd High School. in Mastic Beach on Long Island, went to Asheville. with her native of Ukraine parents. Julia Sherrod, Ukrainian former leading younger player who now lives in Knoxville, Tennessee made two-hour drive on short notice.

“Every little win thinks in any field for Ukraine right now,” said Sherrod, 35. who also Julia passes. “AT big scheme of things, tennis match No big deal, but it still means a lot.”

In this supportive atmosphere, the Ukrainians almost managed to upset. After falling behind0-2, on Friday, they won both singles matches on Saturday in straight kits. Yastremskaya, and former top 25 player now ranked 93rd on The WTA Tour has often defeated No. 14 Jessica Pegula. More surprisingly, Zawatskaya, ranked 201st, defeated the No. 46 Shelby Rogers.

It meant the final takes match would be decisive while Pegula and Asia Mohammed making her the King’s Cup debut, earned 7-6 (5), 6-3 win over Yastremskaya and Lyudmila Kichenok.

“All day long we just really felt that fighting spirit of Ukraine,” Rogers said. “That was very special see but very hard to go against. I just very proud of my team for stepping up besides having nerves of become.”

first set of doubles match came down very little. Since Mohammed served at 5-6, 30-30, the Americans had to climb to win the longest, most spectacular rally of in matcha at 5-5 in tie-break, Kichenok full-cut passing blow hit the very top of cassette.

“She is wanted take a little of risksaid Yastremskaya, making a tiny space between the thumb and forefinger of the right hand. “Just now like This, in in net!”

Victory qualified Americans for 12-team King’s Cup Final in November, but Ukrainians don’t necessarily drop out. One wild-card slot available and depending on which country is chosen to host the final, it could be available to Ukraine.

BUT full-strong Ukrainian team could be formidable: No. 25 Elina Svitolina and No. 53 Marta Kostyuk, two countries highest-ranked singles players missed it match as of trauma and personal problems.

“I do not want be arrogant, but maybe we deserved it,” Zavatskaya said.

Russia won King’s Cup last year before the ban for this years competition as of in invasion. Olga Savchuk, Ukrainian team captain in Asheville thinks tennis should take over next step and Russian bar players from individual events also, something Wimbledon is considering.

“Why would someone who works in McDonald’s in Russia is losing jobs of sanctions and tennis players exceptions? Savchuk said.

Zavatskaya, 22, who founded in south of France, Russians think need take responsibility and “feel uncomfortable while people and children are dying in Ukraine.” She said some Russian and Belarusian players told her news of atrocities are coming out of Ukraine was “fake”.

Some kind of wine of in players felt in in first a month in safety, while other Ukrainians were in so much danger has been replaced by the belief that they can be sports ambassadors.

“WITH people look us back home on TV, you want them just take a couple of hours to enjoy tennis and see some ukrainian girls fight for in the country too,” Yastremskaya said.

Arena in ashville, in scale and design reminded Savchuk and Yastremska of where is ukrainian team played home matches in Kharkiv, heavily damaged by Russian bombing.

Savchuk, now based in London, born and raised in Donetsk in disputed Donbass region And her father remains in Donetsk. “He decided to stay because homeSavchuk said. who said her relatives spent a lot of time in bomb shelters.

Kichenok fled the country after the start of the war and needed 31 hours get from Kyiv to Moldova with her parents. Her twin, Nadia, also part of Ukraine team, left Kyiv just before the Russian invasion, trip to California with her husband.

“It’s been two days of hell for me before they got to the safe place- said Nadia. of her family. “I had constant panic attacks. I have never experienced anything like that, like 40 minutes of your body shakes and you don’t know what to do but take deep breaths.

Kichenok father, who 64 years old, has since returned to Ukraine and tried to volunteer for in military despite exceeding the age limit.

“They told him:” Grandpa, go back home”, – said Nadezhda Kichenok. “We have too many people here. We will call you when we need you.’”

21-year-old Yastremskaya fled Odessa. home city, with she is 15-year- older sister, Ivanna, moves to Romania after saying goodbye to her parents on Ukrainian side of Danube river. The sisters traveled on tour together for almost two months until parents remain in Odessa, where one of them tasks organizes assistance through the Yastremskaya Charitable Foundation. foundation.

Impossible to return home sisters Yastremsky remain without fixed training base, but they will head next to Madrid for preparation for clay court season. The Kichenok twins will go to Stuttgart, Germany. for and the tournament Zavatskaya will return to Cannes, France, where she will share her small flat with her mother and other relationships who fled from Ukraine.

after a week of unity and final night of karaoke with Americans on On Saturday Ukrainians will move onno with hope that ashville and wider world not move on too fast.

“I do not want people get used to the grief that we are experiencing,” said Nadezhda Kichenok. “We are not want people regret for us. We want im staying strong with usfight for freedom and humanity”.