Wimbledon star fights back tears on BBC after dad’s heartbreaking death | Tennis | Sport

One Wimbledon hopeful had to fight back tears during a BBC interview following a SW19 qualifying match. Iryna Shymanovich won her second-round qualification match at the All England Club tournament in straight sets, meaning she is one step further towards a first-ever main draw Wimbledon appearance.

Shymanovich defeated Greet Minnen in the second-round clash, having already come through Dominika Salkova in round one. But it wasn’t only top-quality tennis players Shymanovich was battling, given she’d lost her father earlier this year.

Speaking to the BBC after the win in SW19. She emotionally remarked: “It’s quite tough but when he was about to pass away he left messages to all members of our family and to me he said that he wants me to play, to keep fighting and don’t stop.

“I have been struggling a lot with injuries, with a lot of problems all my career through juniors, and I said: ‘OK there is no other way than to keep fighting and if he wanted me to do this then I will make him happy out there’. So I am fighting for both of us.”

Shymanovich’s only main draw appearance at a Grand Slam came during the 2023 French Open. She is now one match away from making the Wimbledon singles draw for the first time, with a clash against Katherine Sebov to come.

Opening up about losing her father, she posted on Instagram: “I fought with everything I had. I left my heart, my soul, and every lesson my dad had ever taught me out there. We battled for almost three hours. I lost in a close three-set match, but when I walked off that court, I was proud.

“I couldn’t wait to call my dad. To tell him how well I played. To tell him how I fought until the very last point. To hear him say how proud he was. But it was already too late. Right after that match, I found out that my dad had passed away. When I left home to play in Linz, I could never have imagined it would be the last time I would see my dad alive. The last time I would hug him. The last time I would hold his hand.”

Before adding: “A few weeks later, instead of seeing him waiting for me at home, I was standing by his grave. My dad was my first coach, my biggest supporter, and the person who taught me how to dream. He taught me how to fight, how to never give up, and how to keep believing even when the road gets hard.

“Everything I am today started with him. Every time I step on court, a part of him is there with me. Sometimes I still look toward our team box and imagine him sitting beside Leandro, watching every point, just like he always did.”