SHUT IT , NADAL!

Ukrainian star slams Rafa’s stance on ban of Russians at SW19

Rafael Nadal was delivered a stinging rebuke by former opponent Sergiy Stakhovsky after coming out against Wimbledon banning Russian and Belarusian players.

The former Ukraine No 1, who has joined his country’s army reserves to fight the invasion, took a public swipe at the Spaniard, who on Sunday condemned the SW19 barring of competitors.

addressing Nadal directly on Twitter, the former world No 31 said: ‘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 is one of numerous past and present Ukrainian players of both sexes increasingly exasperated by calls for more action against Russians and Belarusians falling on deaf ears in the locker room. at the weekend, Nadal and Novak djokovic spoke against Wimbledon’s move while andy Murray stopped well short of supporting the all england Club’s position.

While Nadal is returning to action this week at the Madrid Open, emma Raducanu tonight plays one of the Ukrainians still active on the tour, having beaten another in the second round.

She will take on anhelina Kalinina, the world No37, in a bid to keep her encouraging performances on clay going.

The 19-year-old from Kent believes she has hit her best patch of form since the US

Open and has been helped by finally getting a relatively high volume of matches.

‘I feel like I’ve been practising really well in the last few weeks and definitely brought a lot of confidence from that,’ she said.

‘Just looking at my level on the practice court, I thought to myself, “Why don’t you just replicate it on the match court and swing as freely and go for your shots”. I definitely feel like I’m in a really good space with my tennis.

‘This is the most matches I have played in a short space of time and I feel like it definitely helps because at the beginning of the year, or end of last year, it’s tough. If you lose early, and then there’s some weeks before the next one and you lose early again, you don’t feel like you’re building any sort of momentum. It helps your decision-making.’

Veteran lawn Tennis association coach louis Cayer has become Raducanu’s latest source of analysis and information.

Of him, the British No 1 added: ‘Before the Billie Jean King Cup he was in just helping all the girls out and I definitely think that he added great insight.

‘He’s obviously a really renowned coach in the UK and he’s got tonnes of experience, so just to pick his brain a little was really great for me.’

also in action in the men’s second round today is Jack draper, taking on Russia’s world No 8 andrey Rublev.