Tennis-Billie Jean Cup tie begins with emotional tribute to Ukraine
Nasdaq April 15 (Reuters) - Thoughts of the war in Ukraine were front and centre during an emotional opening ceremony for the Billie Jean King Cup qualifier tie between the United States and Ukraine in the North Carolina mountains on Friday.
With 78-year-old American great King in attendance, Ukraine-born North Carolina resident Yuliia Kashirets gave an emotional rendition of the war-torn country's national anthem.
As Kashirets, who was introduced as having a brother serving in the Ukraine military, belted out the anthem, players from the Ukrainian and United States teams flanked King as they stood on court.
Odesa-born world number 93 Dayana Yastremska was draped in a Ukrainian flag, while a tear rolled down her team mate Katarina Zavatska's cheek.
A quarter of Ukraine's 44 million people have been driven from their homes and thousands have died since Russia began its invasion of the country in February. Russia initially described its aims in Ukraine as disarming its neighbour and defeating nationalists there. Kyiv and its Western allies say those are bogus justifications for an unprovoked war of aggression.
