World No.120 women’s tennis player Dayana Yastremska has fled her war-torn home country of Ukraine with her teen sister and found safety in France.
In an Instagram post accompanied by an image of the Ukraine flag, Yastremska revealed last Friday she was remaining hunkered down at home with her family.
“I haven’t left home to do my favourite job,” Yastremska added.
“There’s a war in Ukraine! I love you all and I genuinely believe that peace will be restored soon! Stay safe! Your Dayana.”
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But in another Instagram post the following day, Yastremska said she’d made a dash with her sister after a desperate decision by her parents.
“After spending two nights in the underground parking, my parents made a decision at any cost to send me and my little sister out of Ukraine!” Yastremska wrote.
“Mum, dad, we love you very much, take care of yourself!
“I love you, my country!
“Ukrainians, take care of your lives.”
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ESPN reported the sisters had travelled by boat 240 kilometres from their home in Odessa to the city of Izmail.
They made their way through Romania and have settled in France ahead of the Lyon Open, where Yastremska is set to play as a wildcard in singles and doubles.
“Tired, but my sister and I are safe! Thank you France,” Yastremska posted on Instagram.
“Ukraine, stay strong. We miss you home, mum and dad!”
Yastremska said she was regularly messaging and calling her parents, who are safe amid the Russian invasion of their country.
“I am so scared,” Yastremska told ESPN.
“We don’t need to kill each other like this.
“I am scared for my parents, my friends and everybody in my country.
“For you to understand what a missile strike is like you need to feel it.
“But, I wish (nobody) has to ever feel this (pain).”
Ukraine’s highest-ranked player on the WTA Tour is world No.15 Elina Svitolina, who relayed horrible feelings to Sky News.
“I’m shocked still in this terrible nightmare of what’s happening in Ukraine,” Svitolina said.
“I’m really praying every single minute for my family, for my friends, for all people in Ukraine and around the world for safety, for peace.
“It’s really stressful for me because I cannot do anything. I cannot go and help them. I wish I could help him.
“I can’t even imagine what they are going through.
“It’s something that’s bigger than everything. It’s war, it’s the people and we have to stop it.”
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