The Albany Gazette - 'We're still here': Wimbledon set for all-Ukrainian clash

Russian and Belarusian players have already been banned by the All England Club in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February.

Now, by a quirk of the draw, two Ukrainians get the chance to hammer home their country's ongoing plight to a global audience after they both won their first-round matches.

"It's another way to show that we are a strong nation and to remind the world that we are still here, we still have war," said Tsurenko.

"We need help. We still need help to win this war."

Since the invasion, Tsurenko, 33, has been forced to take refuge in Italy, staying at a tennis academy but constantly worries for her family in Kyiv.

At the weekend, she said, a Russian rocket landed just "100 metres away from my home, the building where I lived".

"So every time my area of the city where I live gets bombed and since the war started, I start to feel this tension inside of me," she added.

"I work every day with a psychologist. This feeling of tension will only be released when the war will finish. There is nothing I can do about it."

Tsurenko, a former top 25 player, now ranked at 101, has won four titles in her career.

When she faces Kalinina on Wednesday she will be attempting to make the third round for just the second time at the All England Club.

- Symbolism -

However, she is more concerned with the symbolism of the match than the outcome.

She intends to seek permission from Wimbledon organisers to wear a Ukraine ribbon on her shirt.

"For me emotionally, winning or losing doesn't exist anymore," she said. "For me, there is a big issue in my life -- it's war. And there is nothing else that can beat this."

Kalinina, the 29th seed, revealed to AFP at the French Open that she had been living out of a suitcase since leaving Ukraine in February.

She has not been back since, making a home in a succession of hotel rooms in tournaments in the Gulf, Europe, the United States and back in Europe again.

Her mother, father and 18-year-old brother still live in Kyiv.

"Thank God they are alive, they are safe," said the 25-year-old, who marked her Wimbledon debut Monday with victory over Anna Bondar of Hungary.

"But they live like many other Ukrainians, from bags.

"Their house was attacked. There are huge holes in the house, like huge holes. So now this home is getting rebuilt, so they can't live there."

Kalinina, taking a different view from Tsurenko, said that winning Wednesday's match was important to her as the prize money helps boost her aid efforts.

Reaching the third round is worth £120,000 ($148,000).

"It matters if I win or lose," she said. "I'm helping a lot to my grandmother and grandfather, who are in occupied territory now. They can't leave."

"Next door is like Russian soldiers with all their military stuff. I'm helping as much as I can to the people that I even don't know sometimes. I'm not a superstar, I'm just helping with what I can."

(T.Renner--BBZ)