'Supported Me A Lot': Ukrainian Doubles No. 1 Kichenok Praises Partner Ostapenko
WTA
Ukrainian doubles no. 1 Lyudmyla Kichenok has spoken about the support her doubles partner Jelena Ostapenko has given as she copes with seeing her country at war with Russia.
Kichenok and Ostapenko have formed an impressive partnership as a doubles pair, reaching three finals throughout the season. They won the title at the Birmingham Classic a few weeks ago.
The Ukrainian and Latvian also had a good run at Wimbledon. They progressed to the semifinal at SW19, losing at that stage to the eventual champions Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova.
Their achievements are even more impressive, considering what Kichenok is going through right now. Watching her country be subjected to Russia's illegal invasion since February is undoubtedly heartbreaking for her.
Kichenok spoke recently about how much she wants to return to the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv. She also hopes her country can win the war and drive Russia out of the territory they are occupying.
"I want to come back home so much, just go for a walk, Kyiv is so beautiful in summer. I want to come back and live as before. I get it, it can’t be as before anymore, but I have hope. I believe in Ukraine’s victory from the first day, we will do everything to win."
Kichenok lauded Ostapenko for her support since the war began, saying the 2017 French Open champion did everything possible to make her okay. She says the Latvian understands the situation as someone from one of the three Baltic states that fears Russian aggression in the future.
"Jelena Ostapenko supported me a lot from the start, she helped me when I was with her in Riga. Jelena did all she could to make me feel okay. I don’t need to explain it to her, she understands what’s going on very well. Next for us: we’ll get ready for the US series," concluded Kichenok."
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