Svitolina says her Kiev padel club was damaged in Russian attack

Elina Svitolina's padel club in Kiev has been heavily damaged as a result of a Russian attack on the Ukrainian capital, the tennis top star said on Tuesday.

"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 said on Instagram.

World number nine Svitolina posted photos of a fire and a partly collapsed ceiling.

Svitolina had opened the padel club four months ago with former men's tennis player Sergiy Stakhovsky. The club said a blast wave from a Russian attack on a nearby food factory had been felt and that repair work has started.

Svitolina said: "Ukrainian athletes and our young generation do not have the opportunity and train and prepare for international competitions on equal terms with athletes from other countries.

"With this message I want to reach out to our international partners and friends who support and cheer for us, Ukrainian athletes, on the international stage, and ask for your support and concrete actions that can stop the aggressor."

Svitolina last played at the US where she went out in the third round in singles and reached the semi-finals in mixed doubles with her French husband, Gaël Monfils.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine started in 2022. Local news reports on Tuesday said that several houses, storage halls and a school were damaged by missiles and drones during the night.

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