Ex-No.13 tennis star 'just trying to survive' on front line of war after witnessing death
Ukraine's Aleksandr Dolgopolov retired from tennis in 2021, yet his life changed when he joined the army after Russia launched an invasion of his country.
Former tennis star Aleksandr Dolgopolov has opened up on the horrors he has faced since enlisting in the Ukrainian army following Russia's full-scale invasion of the country. Dolgopolov, once a regular fixture on the Grand Slam scene, even clinched a quarter-final berth at the Australian Open in 2011.
He retired in 2021 following a respectbale career on the court, however, his life is now a far cry from what it once was and he has admitted that he now just aims to "survive". The Ukrainian reached number 13 in the ATP rankings in 2012, frequently faced off against Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, and even managed to defeat Rafael Nadal in 2014 and 2015.
However, when Russia – under Vladimir Putin's leadership – decided to invade Ukraine in February 2022, Dolgopolov insisted that he couldn't sit back and do nothing.
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A self-styled patriot, Dolgopolov revealed that he did not hesitate to bravely exchange his racket for a gun and head to the front lines. “My conscience drove me [saying] ‘you have to do it now’," he said. "But I had no idea about weapons. So I looked for the nearest shooting range in Antalya."
In an interview with German outlet Der Spiegel, Dolgopolov, who currently works as a drone pilot, opened up on his daily life while at war. “Basically, I am happy to be able to defend my country, but I want nothing more than peace," he said.
"I lack inner peace and a day without news of children, civilians, and comrades being killed." The 36-year-old also recounted some of the tragic experiences he has suffered while fighting for his country.
“In late summer 2023, my unit was in the Zaporizhia region," he said. "We were filming the terrain with a drone when suddenly we were attacked. We jumped into a trench, but the impacts came closer and shook us violently.
"You have to understand that if grenades of this size fall less than eight metres from you, they can tear your insides apart. In the end, all we could do was hope it wouldn’t happen to us. We were scared to death. After about 20 hits it stopped. It’s crazy when I think about it in retrospect.”
Following the terrifying episode, Dolgopolov was hospitalised for a week due to a concussion. While he now grapples with his mortality every day, he has suggested that there is a fate worse than death. “To be honest, I am more afraid of being injured and having to live life as a cripple. If I could choose, I would prefer to be dead," he said.
While he hasn't been involved in any "direct combat" as of yet, he has witnessed people die through the drone's camera which he helps operate. As for a future after the war, the former ATP Tour regular has claimed he just wants to live through the conflict.
“Right now I just want to survive," he added. "When a friend loses a leg right before your eyes, it gives you a new perspective on life. I wouldn’t wish this experience on anyone.”
