The oldest tennis player in the world from Ukraine – 97 years old and still in the game

KHARKIV, Ukraine, July 16 (Reuters) – For Leonid Stanislavskyi, 97, a Ukrainian who has played amateur tennis for more than half a century, finding an opponent worthy of his age is nearly impossible.

That hasn’t stopped him from competing in the World and European Senior Championships and dominating the younger ones, although he doesn’t move as fast on the pitch as before.

Stanislavskyi was 30 years old when his colleague, then Soviet gymnastics champion, introduced him to tennis. He has since trained three times a week in his hometown of Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine.

“It’s a stylish type of sport. It’s good physical exercise. It’s a beautiful game. And there’s one more thing about tennis – you can play no matter what your age,” he said. he told Reuters.

Guinness World Record holder as the oldest tennis player in the world, Stanislavskyi trained hard ahead of the 2021 World Super-Seniors Championship to be held in October in Mallorca, Spain.

For the first time, the International Tennis Federation introduced an age group of 90 and over in the 2021 tournament after Stanislavskyi sent a written request to the federation asking for the addition of the new category.

“When I was 95 I felt a lot better than I do today,” said Stanislavskyi, who advances at his own pace trying to return every shot. “It’s even difficult to walk when you’re 97.

“People under 70 say, ‘Thank goodness I’ve lived another year.’ People between the ages of 70 and 90 say, “Thank goodness I lived one more month. “I count every day and I say, ‘Thank God I lived another day.'”

Stanislavskyi said the secret to his longevity was a mixture of good genes and regular sport.

He begins each morning with gymnastics and a series of push-ups and pull-ups. Besides tennis, Stanislavskyi is passionate about swimming and skiing and dreams of doing a parachute jump.

He says his ultimate goal is to live to be 100 and face Roger Federer.

Editing by Mike Collett-White

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