Sergiy Stakhovsky calls out Rafael Nadal: How is it fair that Ukrainians are dying?

• Tennis News
• Rafael Nadal

Sergiy Stakhovsky wasn't happy with Rafael Nadal's comments on the Wimbledon decision. On Sunday, Nadal held a pre-tournament press conference in Madrid. There, Nadal expressed his opinion for the first time on the Wimbledon decision to impose player ban on Russian and Belarusian players.

Nadal said he thought Wimbledon's decision was "unfair to my Russian tennis mates." "I think it's very unfair to my Russian tennis mates, my colleagues. In that sense it's not their fault what's happening in this moment with the war," Nadal said, per Reuters.

"Let's see what happens in the next weeks, if the players will take some kind of decision ... there's one thing that's negative, there are things that are clear. When the government imposes some restrictions, you just have to follow them."

Stakhovsky calls out Nadal

"@RafaelNadal we competed together..

we’ve played each other on tour. Please tell me how it is fair that Ukrainian players cannot return home? How it is fair that Ukrainian kids cannot play tennis? How is it fair that Ukrainians are dying?" Stakhovsky said in a response to Nadal's comments on the Wimbledon decision.

@RafaelNadal we competed together.. we’ve played each other on tour. Please tell me how it is fair that Ukrainian players cannot return home? How it is fair that Ukrainian kids cannot ply tennis? How is it fair that Ukrainians are dying ? https://t.co/l3bZtBEfsU — Sergiy Stakhovsky (@Stako_tennis) May 2, 2022

The Wimbledon decision hasn't received much support as the ATP and WTA both made it clear they were not happy with the decision the Wimbledon organizers made.

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic also stated that sports shouldn't be mixed with politics and that banning players from competing was just unfair. Several other players echoed Djokovic and said sports shouldn't be mixed with politics.

Wimbledon faced a tough decision and they ultimately decided to ban Russian and Belarusian players from competing. Wimbledon had an option to allow Russian and Belarusian players compete but under one condition - they sign a written declaration condemning Russian president Vladimir Putin and his regime. The Wimbledon organizers didn't want to put Russian players in a dangerous situation so they ruled that option out.