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Rafael Nadal might be a 20-time Grand Slam champion, but when he faced off against 97-year-old Ukrainian Leonid Stanislavskyi, life experiences surpassed any title. The Guinness World Record holder for the world’s oldest tennis player took on Nadal, giving us a lesson of passion and determination.
“It is an elegant sport. It is good physical exercise, a beautiful game. And there is one more thing about tennis - you can play tennis no matter what age you are,” Stanislavskyi said.
“I started playing tennis when I was 30 years old. I am now 97 years old and keep playing. Prominent tennis player Federer is 39 or 40 years old, Djokovic is 33 or 34 years old, and if I am not mistaken, Nadal is also above 30 years old. For professional tennis, it is quite an advanced age. I am an amateur, and I can play at 97 years old,” he added.
According to Mr. Leonid, the friendly match was a dream come true. “My biggest dream is to live a few more years, at least till 100 years. Some people say: ‘Live until 120 years old.’ It would be wonderful if I could live till at least 100, 105, or 110 years old,” he added.
“That’s my biggest dream and I fight for it. My dream is not simply to live up to 100 years old but to remain active and at least be able to play tennis.”
“ I probably won’t be a strong tennis player anymore, but I want to play, even with much strength. I dream of meeting prominent tennis players,” he concluded.