Ukrainian star sends powerful T-shirt message at Australian Open

Oleksandra Oliynykova, the Ukrainian tennis player, made a distinctive impression at the Australian Open, not only for her unconventional playing style and striking body art but also for a poignant message subtly conveyed after her first-round loss to defending champion Madison Keys.

Following her defeat on Rod Laver Arena, Oliynykova appeared at a post-match news conference wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with a powerful plea: "I need your help to protect Ukrainian women and children but I can’t talk about it here."

This statement navigated the Grand Slam guidelines, which typically discourage players from using competition venues for political declarations.

Despite the 7-6 (6), 6-1 loss to Keys, Oliynykova found a way to express her concerns.

Keys herself praised the Ukrainian, who signed autographs, accepted applause, and waved a Ukrainian flag after the match.

The encounter saw ninth-seeded Keys initially trail 4-0 in the first set, struggling to adapt to Oliynykova's unique shots, including high lobs – often dubbed 'moonballs' – that pushed Keys deep behind the baseline.

Oliynykova, known for her distinctive facial and other body ink (some of which she noted were temporary), acknowledged that her playing style often disorients opponents.

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She reflected on her journey, stating: "Since I started my pro year career, I was hearing that I will not be in top 1,000, then in top 500, in top 300, and in top 100."

Now ranked 92nd, she added: "All these people telling me that I won’t be able to progress with this game style. But, actually, my idea is to do my ‘weird’ things on court, but to be the best player with this type of game. I mean, I saw today that even for one of the best players in the world, it could be really uncomfortable."

Her connection to Ukraine runs deep, particularly through her father, a soldier in the Ukrainian army.

She spoke movingly of his influence: "He is my biggest supporter and has been since childhood. I’m so proud of him and that’s something that’s keeping me motivated even more.

“After he joined the military, I have improved my ranking over 200 places. I know it was his dream to see me on this court and I would do everything to make him proud."

The most significant moment of her day, despite the loss, came after the match. "He told me it was an amazing match — he just texted me and I made his dream come true," she shared, referring to her father’s message from afar.

"I cannot explain these feelings, but when you are in this situation, you can, you know, put priorities in your life. I will do everything to make him even more proud."