Sergiy Stakhovsky knows the power of a voice.
The former Ukrainian pro praised Daria Kasatkina and Andrey Rublev for publicly speaking out against Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.
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Sharing he's "disappointed" more Russian players don't condemn the war, Stakhovsky said if more Russians were like Kasatkina and Rublev war would not have erupted.
"Rublev was maybe the only player who came out publicly and said stop the war in the first week," Stakhovsky told the media at the Iga Swiatek-organized charity exhibition event in Poland to raise funds for Ukrainian youth impacted by the way. "I have great admiration for Daria... She is a hero in her own way.
"If there would be more Russians like this, this war would have never started."
Former Ukrainian No. 1 Stakhovsky, who owns a Wimbledon win over Roger Federer, returned to Kyiv in March to fight for Ukraine in its battle from the Russian invasion.
The 36-year-old Stakhovsky, who retired from the pro circuit after the Australian Open, said he appreciates Kasatkina and Rublev speaking out but is disappointed other Russians haven't been vocal opposing the war. Stakhovsky plays fear is the factor that prevents other Russian players from condemning the war.
"They are all scared for their fate," Stakhovsky told the media in comments published by AFP. "They don't want to go to jail...but they are okay that the kids and women are dying. I would rather trade and go to jail for a couple of weeks or even a month if I can save a life by doing that."
The Swiatek-led charity exhibition event raised more than $480,000 to aid Ukrainian children.
World No. 1 Swiatek has worn a blue and yellow ribbon affixed to her white baseball cap as a show of support for Ukrainian people suffering violence and destruction at the hands of invading Russian forces. Swiatek said she will continue to wear the ribbon in a show of support until Ukraine has peace.
"I know that many players played with ribbons at the beginning of the war where all the fuss was a little bit more loud," Swiatek said. "I realized that some of them took them off, which is for me pretty weird because there is still war, there are people still suffering. I'm going to wear it until the situation is going to get better.
"It's also how media works, how it fusses up, then goes a little bit down. Hopefully still players are going to be more supportive."