Ukraine blitz routs Russian forces
Kyiv troops reclaim more territory with swift advance in NE
KHARKIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian troops retook a wide swath of territory from Russia on Monday, pushing all the way back to the northeastern border in some places, and claimed to have captured many Russian soldiers as part of a lightning advance that forced Moscow to make a hasty retreat.
A spokesman for Ukrainian military intelligence said Russian troops were surrendering en masse as “they understand the hopelessness of their situation.”
A Ukrainian presidential adviser said there were so many POWs that the country was running out of spacetoaccommodatethem.
As blue-and-yellow Ukrainian flags fluttered over newly liberated towns, the Ukrainian military said it had freed more than 20 settlements in 24 hours.
In his evening address to the nation, Ukrainian President Volodymyr
Zelenskyy said his forces have liberated more than 2,300 square miles in the east and the south since the beginning of September.
After months of little discernible movement on the battlefield, the momentum has lifted Ukrainian morale and provoked rare public criticism of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war.
“In some areas of the front, our defenders reached the state border with the Russian Federation,” said Oleh Syniehubov, governor of the northeastern Kharkiv region. Over
hopeful. He spends 15 to 20 hours each week playing tennis or conditioning, and he’ll often see Tiafoe, who still lives in Maryland, in the club’s locker room or fitness center. They’ll chat about tennis and Tiafoe’s recent tournaments.
“I just look up to him,” Galov said. “Seeing him come from where I am right now is just such a big inspiration.”
‘A much steeper hill to climb’
Tennis traditionally has been played by the privileged. The price of court time, elite coaching, equipment and travel made it so that the top players came from wealth, according to veteran journalist Mark Hyman, a former Baltimore Sun reporter who has written three books on youth sports.
“There have always been exceptional players who rose to the top without advantages,” he wrote in an email. “But, like Tiafoe, they’ve got a much steeper hill to climb.”
Youth sports, in general, favor those with means and Hyman described access to youth sports as a “crisis and a national tragedy.” Recent studies show that the cost of youth sports is rising, and a 2019 study revealed that kids from low-income families are less likely to play sports than their middle and high-income peers.
Tennis is one of the more expensive sports, and a 2019 study from the Aspen Institute found that the average annual cost of one child playing tennis is $1,170, on par with other pricey sports like lacrosse. Sports like basketball, football and soccer were half as costly.
“It’s just the reality of it,” Tiafoe said in an interview with The Sun before his U.S. Open run, “and it’s why it’s tough for Black people in low-income areas to play the game of tennis. It’s pretty much that simple.”
As a kid, Tiafoe remembers wearing shoes with holes in them and hand-medown T-shirts on the court. His father’s job enabled him access to courts at a high-quality facility, which helped lay the foundation for his incredible ability. Tiafoe called his access a “perfect storm.”
If Tiafoe’s father had landed work elsewhere — at an office building, for example — it’s unlikely Tiafoe would have had the same access. Without it, he said he probably wouldn’t be the pro he is today.
Attending JTCC as a full-time athlete and student can cost close to $40,000 a year, but the club offers financial aid for those in need, which included Tiafoe. Tennis could be made more accessible with academies financially supporting low-income athletes, he said.
“I would love to have a foundation that does that,” Tiafoe said.
Ponkka, the JTCC president, said that Tiafoe is aware that he’s a role model for many, including those at the JTCC. Tiafoe frequently works out at the club to this day, spending time with the current youth.
“He was given a lot, and he gives back 10 times more,” Ponkka said.
Fred McNair IV is a Maryland tennis legend and helped win the men’s doubles title at the 1976 French Open. He attended Tiafoe’s recent upset win over Nadal, spent some time chatting with Tiafoe’s parents, and watched every point of Tiafoe’s semifinal match Friday. He said that as a Marylander and as the son of an immigrant — his mother is from Iran — he’s proud of Tiafoe.
“This is an incredible story of the American dream,” McNair IV said. “I wish we had more of them.”
On the edge of stardom
As McNair watched Tiafoe during his run in the U.S. Open — one of four Grand Slam tournaments — he noticed something. Tiafoe was a more complete player than in years past. Rather than relying on overpowering serves or exclusively looking for forehand winners, he had evolved.
Ahead of the tournament, Tiafoe said he hoped to improve the “mental side” of his game, and he showed the ability to perform in high-leverage moments, as he went 8-0 in set tiebreakers — winner-take-all events — setting a U.S. Open record.
“Under the bright lights, under pressure, in his own national championship, he elevated everything,” McNair said. “He embraced it.”
And over the last two weeks — the “craziest” of Tiafoe’s life — the country has embraced him. U.S. tennis fans have been hungry for a major male tennis champion for nearly two decades, since Andy Roddick last won one, and Tiafoe, on the biggest of stages, captured the nation’s attention.
LeBron James and Patrick Mahomes shared their support for Tiafoe on social media, and his friend, Washington Wizards star Bradley Beal, attended one of Tiafoe’s matches. Former first lady Michelle Obama stuck around for the duration of Friday’s semifinal.
Tiafoe was visibly disappointed after his loss, but in a news conference, he was his affable self, flashing the same smile those at the JTCC know so well. He laughed about embarrassing himself in front of Obama
when he’d missed a return and, when asked about the crowd — which was buzzing all night — he deadpanned: “I thought it was pretty bad. I wish they’d got into it.”
After winning his first set Friday, Tiafoe dropped the next two and appeared on his way to losing the match. But with his back against the wall, Tiafoe was unfazed, steadfastly winning points needed to keep his hopes alive.
At the College Park watch party, JTCC CEO Ray Benton excitedly pounded the table with both hands after a particularly lively Tiafoe rally.
Although he eventually lost, it seems as if Tiafoe will provide plenty of such moments for several years.
“I proved I can play with the best and I’m capable of winning Grand Slams,” Tiafoe said afterward.
He has long been a terrific tennis player. He became the youngest player to win the Orange Bowl, a prestigious junior tennis tournament, as a 15-year-old in 2013 and he’s ascended into the pro ranks. To date, Tiafoe has earned about $6.9 million in prize money since turning pro, including nearly $1.7 million this year. He’s sponsored by Nike, is a brand ambassador for Tag Heuer watches and has appeared in ads for Nesquik.
But his captivating U.S. Open run, paired with his humble beginnings and magnetic personality, have launched him further.
“He’s a star,” said Milena Goleva, the mother of 15-year-old JTCC player Nikola, “but he doesn’t walk like a star.”
“This is an incredible story of the American dream. I wish we had more of them.”
— Fred McNair IV, tennis star from Maryland