ASHEVILLE, N.C. (AP) 鈥� When Ukrainian women鈥檚 tennis player Katarina Zavatska first learned that Russia had invaded her homeland, she was unable to pick up a racket for more than a week.
Every waking second, she said her thoughts were consumed with the safety of her family back home in Ukraine.
With the Russia-Ukraine War now in its seventh week, Zavatska has come to grips with the 鈥済uilt鈥� she first felt about about playing a game while her family lived in constant fear and danger.
She believes it is her duty to keep playing tennis.
鈥淲hat I can do is to play tournaments to earn money, to send it to my family to help them because nobody has a job right now in my family,鈥� . 鈥淓verybody is just home. They have nothing to do to earn.鈥�
Zavatska and teammates Dayana Yastremska, and Lyudmyla and Nadiia Kichenok will represent Ukraine this weekend in Asheville, North Carolina against the third-seeded United States in the qualifying round of the Billie Jean King Cup 鈥� formerly known as the Fed Cup and the women鈥檚 equivalent to the Davis Cup.
At the beginning of the war, Zavatska made phone calls every 30 minutes, the worry engulfing her while she attempted to prepare for tennis tournaments in the United States.
鈥淓very day I鈥檓 calling to my parents, my family, to ask them if they鈥檙e alive,鈥� Zavatska said. 鈥淚t seems like very tough, rude. But it鈥檚 true. This is the reality right now.鈥�
Russia first invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy he is committed to pressing for peace despite Russian attacks on civilians. Vadym Boychenko, the mayor of the Ukrainian port city of Mariupol, said Monday that in the Russian siege of his city, and the death toll could surpass 20,000.
The 22-year-old Zavatska said her father was originally scheduled to travel with her to tennis tournaments before the war began.
That never happened.
Instead, his focus shifted to moving Zavatska's mother and grandmother and other female family members to a safe haven in France, where she rents an apartment and trains during the offseason. But he remains in Rivne, Ukraine, along with male members of the family, to defend the country.
鈥淔or women to leave without their man, it鈥檚 very tough,鈥� Zavatska said. 鈥淢y cousin, for example, she鈥檚 pregnant. I have my niece, she鈥檚 almost 5 years old. It鈥檚 impossible to be alone in this kind of situation because all the men have to stay.鈥�
In the meantime, Zavatska is fighting her own mental battle to remain focused on tennis.
鈥淭he first week (of the war) it was tough to do anything," Zavatska said. "Surrounded by people who listen to music, who laugh, who live, who talk 鈥� it was impossible. I understand people have to live, but...鈥�
Ukrainian team captain Olga Savchuk said most of her family is living underground in a bomb shelter in Ukraine as the war rages on.
She described her emotions 鈥渂eyond explainable and imaginable.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 like we live in two different realities,鈥� Savchuk said. 鈥淗ere we are, of course, we have to continue to support our families. (But) sometimes just like having food, I鈥檓 thinking about my grandpa and aunt who are in bomb shelter now. How I can even have a cup of tea right now? My family is, like, underground. I have goosebumps when I even talk about it."
Every day apart from them, she said, is difficult.
But in some ways it has become the new normal.
鈥淵ou wake up, first thing you do is check to see if your family is okay, and check the news," Savchuk said. "We do that basically non-stop."
USA team captain Kathy Rinaldi said the Americans are trying to make the Ukrainian team feel as comfortable as possible this week in Asheville.
The teams have planned a dinner together Wednesday night.
Meanwhile, 10% of the ticket revenue for the weekend is being donated to the Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund by Global Giving through the 鈥淭ennis Players for Peace鈥� initiative. Billie Jean King, who will attend Friday's matches, and her partner Ilana Kloss are also donating $50,000 to the Ukraine Relief, and other local sponsors in Asheville are also making donations.
鈥淲hen you look at tennis, we鈥檙e really a true family,鈥� Rinaldi said. 鈥淲e come together when things are tough. ... We鈥檙e opponents on the court, but we鈥檙e allies and friends off the court. We really do care for each other and we pull together when times get tough.鈥�
The Ukrainian women have said that being on the tennis court has served a short mental reprieve from the reality of what is happening back home 鈥� the attacks, the bombs and the killing.
But once they leave the court, they're back on their phones again 鈥� calling home and checking on family.
Zavatska and Savchuk said that while they would love to win this weekend and advance to the Billie Jean King Cup finals and provide some inspiration and pride to the Ukrainian people, both agreed that they'd trade a victory for peace back home.
鈥淲ithout even thinking,鈥� Savchuk said, shaking her head. 鈥漌ithout even thinking."
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Steve Reed, The Associated Press
