Unable to return home, Ukrainian tennis player Anastasiya Lopata thanks Rafael Nadal's academy for providing a place for her to practice
Ukrainian tennis player Anastasiya Lopata has thanked Rafael Nadal's academy for giving her a place to train while her country continues to be ravaged by the ongoing war with Russia.
The 17-year-old said she was grateful for the "unforgettable help" and excellent conditions the academy provided for her.
"I’m very grateful for unforgettable help from Rafa Nadal Academy! When in Ukraine, started the war and I was on ITF tournament and couldn’t come back home anymore Rafa Nadal academy provided excellent conditions for me so I can continue playing tennis," Lopata captioned the post.
The Rafa Nadal Academy posted a screenshot of Lopata's Instagram post on their Twitter handle in which they also showed their support for Ukraine.
Anastasiia Lopata 
😘 Anastasiia Lopata 🇺🇦💛💙 https://t.co/ktY2T08F7J
Russia invaded Ukraine last month following which there has been widespread damage and destruction in the country. Many key cities like Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Mariupol have been bombed and around 2.5 million people have already fled Ukraine.
At least 2.5 million people have now fled Ukraine, according to the UN, in just over two weeks since Russia invaded the country cnn.it/37oLC0L
Russia has targeted new cities – Lutsk near the Polish border, Ivano-Frankivsk in the west, and Dnipro in central-eastern Ukraine. Civilians, who have been displaced within the country, have mostly fled toward the west
firstpost.com/world/russia-u…
Anastasiya Lopata was unable to return home, but the Rafa Nadal Academy made sure that the Ukrainian player didn't miss her training sessions. Located in Nadal's hometown, i.e., in Mallorca, Spain, the academy comprises around 26 tennis courts and a fitness center.
The 21-time Grand Slam winner's former coach and uncle, Toni Nadal, is currently the director of the Rafa Nadal Academy.
Rafa Nadal opened his own tennis academy with 26 courts and state-of-the-art training facilities independent.co.uk/sport/tennis/r… #infrastructure https://t.co/eYKtOoucIf
Rafael Nadal to kick off his Indian Wells Masters 2022 campaign against Sebastian Korda
After getting a bye in the first round, Nadal will square off against Sebastian Korda in the second round of the Indian Wells Masters 2022 on Saturday. The Spaniard is currently on a 15-match winning streak and has already won three ATP tournaments this year.
In their head-to-head, Nadal enjoys a 1-0 advantage over Korda. The 35-year-old defeated the American youngster in straight sets at the 2020 French Open.
French Open 2020: Rafael Nadal defeated Sebastian Korda 6-1, 6-1, 6-2 to reach the Roland Garros quarter finals for the 14th time.
sports.ndtv.com/tennis/french-…
If Nadal succeeds in the California desert this time, he will become the oldest player to lift the title in Indian Wells, edging past Roger Federer's record at 35 years and 7 months (Nadal will be 35 years and 9 months). The Spaniard will also equal Novak Djokovic's record for the most number of Masters titles (37) if manages to attain glory at the BNP Paribas Open.
DID YOU KNOW❓
@RafaelNadal is a 3-time champion at Indian Wells, winning it as a 20-year-old in 2007, then again in 2009 and 2013. He's the only multiple former champion in the men's tournament this year.
Nadal is also on a career-best 15-0 start to the year coming in.
Rafael Nadal will be eyeing his fourth Indian Wells Masters title this year, a tournament he has not won since 2013.
Also Read: "He knows that he was wrong and he recognized that very early" - Rafael Nadal on Alexander Zverev's apology for lashing out at chair umpire