A surviving Roland Garros towel became a painful symbol of how war reaches far beyond the battlefield.
ODESA, UKRAINE
Ukrainian tennis player Dayana Yastremska revealed that her family’s apartment was destroyed during a Russian missile and drone attack on Odesa. The residence, located on the upper floors of a residential tower, was reportedly struck directly by a Kalibr cruise missile during the overnight assault.
Yastremska was not inside the apartment when the attack occurred. Images shared by the 26-year-old showed extensive destruction, with the building’s upper floors partially eliminated. Among the wreckage, a Roland Garros towel remained visible, apparently the only tennis-related object to survive.
The wider attack on Odesa and nearby Chornomorsk killed two people and injured approximately 35 others, according to regional authorities. Nearby residential buildings and a low-pressure gas pipeline were also damaged by the explosions.
Yastremska used the destruction to question the neutrality maintained by international tennis organizations. Russian and Belarusian players have continued competing as neutral athletes without national flags or official state representation. Ukrainian players, including Yastremska, have repeatedly argued that this arrangement fails to reflect the personal consequences they experience while the war continues.
The former world No. 21 and 2024 Australian Open semifinalist has consistently refused to shake hands with Russian and Belarusian opponents. Her grandmother’s home was previously damaged during an attack on Odesa, while other Ukrainian athletes have also reported losing homes, training facilities and relatives during the conflict.
War does not remain on the battlefield; it enters every space civilians call home.