Ukrainian tennis player says missile strike left only towel in her Odesa flat

Ukrainian tennis professional Dayana Yastremska said her apartment in Odesa was struck directly by a Russian missile, leaving the building heavily damaged and, according to her, only a single Roland Garros towel surviving the blast. The incident, which she described on social media, underscores the intensity of the missile attacks that have repeatedly targeted residential areas in the southern port city since the escalation of the war earlier this year. Yastreka, who was born in Odesa and competes on the WTA Tour, posted photos of the wreckage, noting that the towel—used during her 2023 French Open run—was the sole personal item left intact.

The strike occurred amid a broader pattern of Russian shelling aimed at civilian infrastructure in Odesa, a strategic hub that has faced regular bombardment over the past months. Local authorities have confirmed multiple casualties and extensive property loss in recent attacks, while humanitarian groups continue to call for greater protection of non‑combatants. Yastremska, who has been training abroad, said she will assess the damage and consider her next steps, highlighting the personal toll the conflict exacts on athletes and ordinary residents alike.