Top Russian female tennis player: ‘Our hearts are broken’ by violence in Ukraine

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, who is Russia’s top-ranked female tennis star, spoke out against the Russian invasion into Ukraine on Wednesday, saying “our hearts are broken” over the violence.

Pavlyuchenkova joined CNN’s Brianna Keilar in an interview, expressing her discontent with the invasion.

“First of all it’s a very difficult times for everybody, I would say. And it just, it cause me fear. I’m confused, I don’t know what’s going to happen next,” she told Keilar. “[B]ut I can only speak out. And I would like more athletes joining me to speak out on this matter.”

“I’m not a politician. I’m just a woman who plays tennis professionally. So I don’t know much about it [the conflict in Ukraine]. I just tried to speak out. I just tried to make my point. I just don’t want violence. All we want right now — our hearts are broken. We just want peace and love and [to] stop the violence,” Pavlyuchenkova added.

Earlier this week, Pavlyuchenkova criticized Moscow for invading Ukraine in a statement shared on social media, writing that she’s “not afraid to clearly state my position.”

“I’ve been playing tennis since I was a kid. I have represented Russia all my life. This is my home and my country. But now I am in complete fear, as are my friends and family. But I am not afraid to clearly state my position,” she wrote.

“I am against war and violence. Personal ambitions or political motives cannot justify violence. This takes away the future. Not only from us, but also from our children. I am confused and do not know how to help this situation. I’m just an athlete who plays tennis. I am not a politician, not a public figure, I have no experience in this. I can only publically disagree with these decisions taken and openly talk about it. Stop the violence. Stop the war,” she continued.