OLA Padel’s latest star-studded competition at Imber Court in London featured three specially-invited Ukrainian junior tennis players experiencing their first taste of the sport.
The three teenagers – Kateryna Chuieshova, Anastasia Sorska and Veronika Kliuch – have all represented Ukraine in international junior tennis competitions. Their training stopped abruptly when Russia invaded and their national training centre in Irpin was destroyed.
This prompted an initiative called the Ukraine Tennis Project with the objective of providing refuge, schooling and professional tennis training in the UK for the young talented Ukrainian players.
The three girls were selected from a pool of over 100 applicants to live and train at the Delgado Lee Academy at Bisham Abbey in Buckinghamshire. They have been on the programme since January 2023 which has enabled them to continue to follow their dreams of becoming professionals.
Last Sunday, the talented trio took a day off tennis training and mixed in with 47 other competitors in an OLA Padel Tournament at Imber Court in London. The event raised £700 for the Ukraine Tennis Project thanks to the generosity of all the participants.
In addition to the three Ukrainian girls, the draw featured teachers, doctors, lawyers, bankers, charity workers, civil servants, actors, students, retirees and the unemployed.
Notably, the comedian, theatre actor and Absolute Radio presenter Jason Manford made his OLA Padel debut having only played padel eight times previously. He partnered with fellow showbiz personality Richard Fleeshman (returning for his second OLA event in a month). Also in attendance as spectators were both the Chief Executive Officer and a board member of the Ukraine Tennis Federation.
The day was a perfect illustration of how padel helps to break down social and language barriers and foster a sense of community and belonging across a diverse group of people.
Kateryna, who plays tennis at Under-14 level for Ukraine and recently picked up her first U18 ITF ranking points, said: “Thank you so much OLA Padel for a great day and thank you AEON PADEL for my prize! I’m so happy to have won the bat. I love it and it means I will play more padel in the future! Also, I want to thank everyone in UK who have been so kind to us since we moved here in January.”
Anastasia, who has played international U16 tennis, has seen her ITF junior world ranking rise from 2300 to 543 in just six months since joining the Delgado Lee Academy. She reflected: “I want to thank everyone that has supported me during this time with everything happening back home. It has been great to be a part of the Ukraine Tennis Project and train in a professional academy. My tennis has improved so much!”
Veronika is ranked No.2 at U16 level in Ukraine. She recently reached the singles final of the U18 ITF event in Stirling and won the doubles alongside Anastasia. “I really enjoyed playing padel with everyone on Sunday and will definitely play again soon,” she said.
“Since I came to the UK in January, I feel so lucky to be a part of this project. I want to become one of the world’s best players, and this chance to improve my tennis in the UK has been so perfect. Things are very difficult back in Ukraine at the moment, so the Ukraine Tennis Project has been so good for me.”
Event sponsors AEON Padel donated four padel rackets as prizes while England Sports Group provided a discount on the court hire.
The event saw four groups of six pairs play tiebreaks in a round robin format with different partners. British weather had other plans which meant the semi finals and finals were not played so instead each of the 8 top point scorers who would have qualified were declared winners and Evgeniy Zukin from the Ukraine Tennis Federation & OLA Founder Jack Carpenter presented the prizes. Congratulations to our 8 winners – Josh Fawsett, Niklas Johansson, Talia Rayner, Anastasia Sorska (UKR), Kateryna Chuieshova (UKR), Kristen Smith , Sara Levy and Kieron Tiddy.
Evgeniy Zukin, CEO of the Ukrainian Tennis Federation, was fresh off the plane from Georgia where he had been watching the Ukraine Davis Cup team win their tie with Columbia. He said: “It is really hard for Ukraine tennis development back home at the moment as our training facilities have been destroyed and travel outside of the Ukraine to competitions is impossible.
“It is made possible by initiatives like the Ukraine Tennis Project, which I am personally so grateful for. Thank you OLA Padel for organising this event. Every penny raised here will help our top junior talents reach their personal and tennis goals during these difficult and sad times.”
Ukraine Tennis Federation Board Member, Vsevolod Kevlych, added: “The Ukraine Tennis Project has offered a lifeline to these girls. It is heartwarming to feel so welcome in the UK and it is because of people like you here today that really make us feel part of a wider community here in England.”
OLA founder Georgie Barclay said: “We made the best of the extra time in the clubhouse and tucked into some food and drinks and exchanged stories and learned more about Ukraine Tennis.”
A raffle included some great prizes, including a £50 gift voucher for Rewound clothing, a John Lewis hamper donated by Vertical Advantage, an AMC shirt signed by Andy Murray and lots of tennis lessons.
More about the Ukraine Tennis Project:
Run by the Delgado Lee Academy, the project offers a five-year financial commitment to top Ukrainian junior tennis players, giving them an opportunity to access a full-time training programme along with full board accommodation.
Johnny Delgado said: “The girls have settled in really well during what is an incredibly difficult time back home in their country. They have huge potential both as tennis players but more importantly as people and I feel these girls can really make an impact beyond just the tennis world.”
The Ukraine Tennis Project is seeking further investment to offer more players the life-changing opportunity to live and train in the UK undisturbed by the day-to-day effects of war. If you are interested and have the means to help these young Ukrainian tennis talents fulfil their dreams, the Project would love to discuss sponsorship opportunities.
As a guide, the cost to house, feed, educate and provide full-time professional training and travel to tournaments for one year for one player is around £30-£40k.
Please contact Johnny Delgado on jdelgado@livingtennis.co.uk or 07511 948 296
