Ukraine’s Sergiy Stakhovsky on Saturday said he was “disappointed” by Russian tennis players who out of fear of retribution have not spoken out against their country’s invasion of his homeland. 

“They are all scared for their fate. They don’t want to go to jail... but they are okay that the kids and women are dying,” the retired player told reporters in the Polish city of Krakow.

“I would rather trade and go to jail for a couple of weeks or even a month if I can save a life by doing that,” he added.

The 36-year-old was in Poland to play at a charity tennis event organised by world number one Iga Swiatek whose proceeds will go to youths affected by the war in Ukraine.

Other special guests in attendance included former world number two Agnieszka Radwanska, Ukraine’s top female player Elina Svitolina and Ukrainian Champions League-winning football legend Andriy Shevchenko.

Before playing in a couple of exhibition matches at the Krakow event, Swiatek told reporters she felt the Ukraine war had lately been forgotten around the world.

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