A week ago, a recently retired Ukrainian tennis player, whose big moment was once beating Roger Federer in the second round at Wimbledon, was trying to get his family to safety. 

But last week seems a lifetime ago and, today, Sergiy Stakhovsky waits in uniform in a bulletproof vest in central Kyiv for the chance to fight Russian soldiers.

He told Sky News: “We flew to Budapest and I kissed the kids goodbye. My wife knew I’d made a decision that she’s not gonna like and she was upset.

Ukraine invasion: Live updates

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“The little one, who is a daddy’s boy, asked where I was going and I told him I’m just going to the garage and then I left.

“I crossed the border and I was the only one going the other way. There was a big queue of families, women and kids trying to escape.

“It was a tough journey but it was inspiring. While we were travelling we drove through a lot of cities and we saw the level of enthusiasm and motivation from people.

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“They were blocking roads leading to villages, making barricades, getting out their hunting guns, making checkpoints.

“The whole nation is so extremely motivated to fight this off. It’s insane what Russia is doing.”

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‘None of them supports Putin’

It’s a world away from his life as a pro player a few weeks ago when his main worry was trying to qualifying for the Australian Open and booking practice courts.

But he’s felt the support of the tennis community and even the Russian players have reached out.

“I’ve talked to almost all of them and none of them wants the war, none of them supports Putin.

Key developments:
• Russia declares ceasefire in two areas to allow humanitarian corridors out of Mariupol and Volnovakha
• Zelenskyy warns ‘weak’ NATO will be partly responsible for fatalities as it fails to impose no-fly zone
•​​​​​​​ Boris Johnson says Putin sees no way out ‘except to continue destruction’
•​​​​​​​ ‘Highly likely’ four Ukrainian cities ‘encircled by Russian forces’ – MoD
•​​​​​​​ Haas Formula One team cuts ties with Russian sponsor Uralkali and driver Nikita Mazepin

“I know all the Russian players and I’ve spoken to two and I know the general opinion as well because we’ve known each other for years.

“It’s very hard for them,” he explains as even calling for the war to end is a dangerous business in Russia.

“You have to understand [Alexei] Navalny [opposition leader] was poisoned and sent to prison.

“There’s not really a lot stopping the Russian Federation and Putin from just killing random people.

“It doesn’t matter their rank and value. It’s very hard for professional athletes to call out the regime because they still have relatives in that country which can be in danger.

“I cannot really ask tennis players to come out and say what they want to say. It’s impossible.”

‘Everyone accepts we will have to fight’

So far, he says it’s pretty quiet in Kyiv.

“The shops are open but they don’t have enough drivers to restock but there’s people on the street trying to buy groceries and medicines.

“I do logistics, load, off load, do some patrols and sleep.

“We hear some shelling now and then but nothing is very close to the city centre.

“Spirits are high although everyone accepts that we will have to fight. But we hope we’ll be left alone.”

Read more:
​​​​​​​Sky News team’s harrowing account of their violent ambush in Ukraine this week
‘Welcome to Hell’ – the message facing Russian invaders as Kyiv prepares for the fight of its life
Exhausted women and children shelter in tents after fleeing Putin’s war
What day nine of Russia’s war tells us about what might happen next

Asked if he’s had any military training yet, it seems not.

“We’ve had the basics explained and when it comes to shooting test rounds they said ‘don’t worry, you will have plenty of targets to shoot at’.”

He also hasn’t seen any Russian soldiers yet.

“Unfortunately not. If there is a small unit entering the city there will be a wild hunt.

“Everyone is going to get them. This is not a place for Russians.”

So, is he scared?

“Yes, yes I am,” he replies.

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