.png)
Ukraine is not just a picturesque land with a rich history and culture. It is a land where
extraordinary talents are born and amaze the world with their abilities and strength of spirit.
From legendary athletes who conquer the world's peaks to ordinary people who
overcome incredible challenges, Ukrainians prove time and again that nothing is impossible.
Today, we are going to meet one of these outstanding individuals. At an age when
most people are already sitting on the sofa, Leonid Stanislavsky continues to perform feats on the court. An amateur tennis player with more than 30 years of experience, a resource engineer who designed freight ropeways, he hasn't given up on becoming a world champion to this day.
Steps in Lithuania
Today, because of the war, Leonid Yakovich lives in Lithuania. However, even here, in
evacuation, his his way to evacuation was through an international tournament. The tennis player's friend, British journalist Dan Lab, took care of this and the rescue from burning Kharkiv.
"I did not want to leave Kharkiv. They almost took me away by force. There is a neighbour in the next door who picked me up. My daughter insisted. I was transported across the border. Den Lab took me to Lublin. This is where my daughter lives. I lived there for a while. And from Lublin, he took me to a competition in the United States," recalls Leonid Yakovlevich.
From Engineer to Tennis Champion
From the very beginning of his career at the Kharkiv Institute of Soyuzprommekhanizatsii
Leonid Stanislavsky had a brilliant career. He worked on complex projects, and when he was already 70 years old, he started playing tennis. His mentor, the famous Ukrainian tennis player Tatyana Voshchinina, helped him to feel the power of this sport.
"Tatyana Voshchinina is a formerly famous Ukrainian and former Soviet tennis player. She taught me how to play. And that's where I started playing," recalls Leonid.
Subsequently, Leonid Stanislavsky moved to the design institute "Pivdenhyprorud,
defended his PhD thesis and wrote more than 100 scientific papers. But he never gave up his love of tennis.
It was only at the age of 90 that Leonid Stanislavsky took part in competitions. This is a
feat for for a person of any age! And he didn't stop there. He continues to play, continues to learn, continues to be an example for others.
"In Kyiv, I played according to the rules of the ITF (International Tennis Federation). All tennis players are divided into categories. 65, then 70, then 75, 80... And 85 were the oldest. I played with a group of 85-year-olds. I took third place there. They invited me to participate in international competitions," says Leonid Yakovich.
In his last years, Leonid Stanislavsky's life was full of events and achievements. He
took part in many international tournaments, European and world championships, and attended competitions and friendly games in various countries, including Croatia, Austria, Germany, Spain, the United States, Turkey and the Netherlands.
Travelling and Tournaments to support Ukraine
In January 2023, the world's oldest tennis player impressed everyone with his incredible
energy and stamina during his participation in the Australian Open. His court partner was 98-year-old Australian Henry Young, who is the same age as the Ukrainian athlete. Even with such an impressive age, these two veterans showed a fascinating game in front of 15,000 spectators at Rod Laver Arena, the largest tennis arena in the world. Their match was particularly interesting as they were accompanied by other famous tennis players, which added intrigue and emotion to the event.
"He's a head taller than me. And he has a full-time trainer. I was very scared. We had to play. There is the Rod Laver Arena, the largest arena in the world. They brought me and Henry there. The tickets were all sold out. 15 thousand spectators. Plus famous tennis players," Leonid recalls.
During the Australian Open, an extraordinary charity event was held to to support
Ukraine, which was memorable for everyone who attended. The Rod Laver Arena hosted outstanding tennis players, including Carlos Alcaraz, Koko Hauf, Maria Sakkari, Alexander Zverev, and many other famous athletes. All of them, including Leonid Stanislavsky himself, took part in this event to raise funds to help Ukraine. In total, about $500,000 was raised and transferred to the fund to help the country that was going through a difficult time. This act showed the solidarity of the tennis community and the importance of support at a critical time.
"Nadal, Murray from England. They were all there. They all played and donated money. All the money that was raised there, which is about $500,000 (including my participation. They announced that I would play), went to the fund to help Ukraine. This money was raised for Ukraine," says Leonid Stanislavsky.
Unknown dreams, real meetings
The tennis player fulfilled his long-held dream by meeting and playing with the world's
tennis legend, 20-time Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal. This symbolic meeting took place in Mallorca, on the territory of the academy named after Nadal himself.
Many people thought it was impossible, as the outstanding player has a full training
schedule and his agents strictly regulate all meetings.
However, the tennis player decided to disobey the advisers and give up his dream. He
approached to Nadal and expressed his desire to play with him, even despite the restrictions. Rafael Nadal also understood that this was a special moment, so he agreed to meet and even allowed them to play a short match. This meeting was an incredible experience for the tennis player and will be remembered forever.
"Agents don't allow it: 'If you want it, the whole world will want it'. I didn't listen. I took my hand away and went up to Nadal. I don't speak English... I don't speak English. I told him: "Rafa, play for five minutes!" The coaches were shouting at him: "You can't!...". He waved his hand: "Let's go!". And we played with him".
Help and support from sponsors
Good sports form and the opportunity to realise their dreams in tennis became possible
thanks to Ukrainian businessman and philanthropist Yuriy Sapronov. He supported Leonid Yakovlevich by presenting him with a racket from Ukrainian star Elina Svitolina and organised a friendly game with her.
One of the most memorable moments for Leonid Stanislavsky was playing with Elina
Svitolina at the Lokomotiv courts during the Ukraine-Australia match. The event was organised by Yuriy Sapronov, who did his best to make it an unforgettable experience for Leonid. After playing with Svitolina, he also took part in a match with Australian tennis players.
Even in Lithuania, where he now lives, Leonid does not forget about his favourite game.
He does not part with his racket for a single day and trains constantly, even when he is ill. This self-discipline allows him to stay in good physical shape and continue to enjoy the game.
"I was very worried that I was 100 years old and sick. But I already felt good. I'll show you: I walk and train twice a day. I imitate the tennis movement. A forehand is a shot to the right. A backhand is a left-handed shot. I do... I move like this. Like this. I'm moving. It's like this... This is the forehand and this is the backhand. I'll show you. And I play against the wall."
Desire and Return
Leonid Stanislavsky, despite his rich sporting and life history, always emphasises his great
love and pride for Ukraine, especially in these difficult times of war. history, always emphasises how much love and pride he has for Ukraine, especially in such difficult times of war.
"For me, Ukraine is not just a country. It is my mother, my mother. And now my mother is suffering," he said.
Communicating with his compatriots and friends in Lithuania, Leonid does not hide
his feelings about the war in Ukraine. He openly expresses his sympathy and desire to return to his native land, which has suffered greatly.
"Ukraine is my land, I know a lot about it, having worked at industrial enterprises and designed aircraft. It is rich in resources. Ukraine has everything it needs to be a successful country."
For Leonid, war is not a new phenomenon. He lived through the war himself and was
evacuated with his mother to Siberia, where he worked at an aircraft factory. But he does not hesitate to express his support and readiness to fight for his country:
"I would like to be on the frontline. I would like to fight for Ukraine if it were possible. And, believing in victory or peace, I hope that we will all be able to return home to our native land."
Now Leonid Stanislavsky is in Ukraine with his thoughts and heart. He sincerely
misses his for his hometown, which he was forced to leave, for his native land, which Ukrainians are defending at the cost of their lives:
"I regret only one thing - that there is a war going on. I regret that Ukrainian people are dying. I regret that I left Kharkiv. I want to go back to Kharkiv. That's all".