Elina Svitolina said her Kyiv padel club, Svito Padel, was heavily damaged after a Russian strike, posting images of fire and a partly collapsed ceiling. She cited official figures reporting 776 athletes and sports officials killed and 942 sports facilities damaged or destroyed across Ukraine. Svitolina, who launched the club with Sergiy Stakhovsky four months ago, said repairs have started and appealed to the international sporting community for concrete support.
Elina Svitolina Says Her Kyiv Padel Club 'Svito Padel' Was Heavily Damaged in Russian Strike
FILE PHOTO - Ukrainian tennis player Elina Svitolina celebrates defeating Switzerland's Belinda Bencic during their Women's Singles fourth round match the French Open tennis tournament (Roland Garros 2026), at Roland Garros Stadium. (is associated with: «Svitolina says her Kiev padel club was damaged in Russian attack») Matthieu Mirville/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
Elina Svitolina, the world No. 9 tennis player, said on Tuesday that her newly opened padel club in Kyiv was severely damaged after a Russian strike on the Ukrainian capital.
Posting on Instagram, Svitolina shared photos showing flames and a partially collapsed ceiling at Svito Padel and cited official casualty and damage figures for Ukrainian sport. In her post she wrote:
"As of today, 776 Ukrainian athletes and sports officials have been killed as a result of Russian aggression. 942 sports facilities across Ukraine have been damaged or completely destroyed. Today, my club, Svito Padel, became one of them."
Svitolina opened Svito Padel four months ago in partnership with former men's tennis player Sergiy Stakhovsky. The club said a blast wave from a Russian strike on a nearby food factory was felt at the venue and that initial repair work has already begun.
Appeal To The International Sporting Community
Svitolina used the post to highlight the wider consequences for Ukrainian athletes, saying they "do not have the opportunity and train and prepare for international competitions on equal terms with athletes from other countries." She appealed directly to international partners and friends in sport, calling for concrete support and actions to stop further aggression.
Off the court, Svitolina last competed at the US Open, where she reached the third round in singles and the semi-finals in mixed doubles alongside her husband, French player Gaël Monfils.
Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022. Local reports on Tuesday said missiles and drones struck overnight, damaging several houses, storage halls and a school in the affected areas.
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