Ukrainian tennis player Oleksandra Olejnikova, ranked 41st in the WTA world rankings, announced that she would donate part of the prize money she earned at US Open-2026 to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The total donation amounted to 2.4 million hryvnias. This was reported by Sport RBC.UA, citing the athlete's comments to the BTU publication.

What the funds will be used for

According to Olejnikova, 2 million hryvnias will be directed toward the purchase of equipment and components for the 'Splakh' unmanned aerial systems battalion of the 28th Separate Mechanized Brigade named after the Knights of the Winter Campaign. A further 400,000 hryvnias will go toward the purchase and transfer of a Mercedes minivan to the units. The tennis player emphasized that she has supported this particular unit for a long time and considers it her 'patronized' unit.

Prize money and results at US Open-2026

At the US Open tennis championship, Olejnikova reached the second round in the singles draw and played one match in doubles. Her total prize money came to $207,500. In the first round, the Ukrainian defeated American Reese Brantmeier 6:4, 6:4, but in the second round she lost to the Philippines' Alexandra Eala 1:6, 4:6. It was precisely these performances that became the source of funds for the new donation.

First full season on the WTA tour

'This year is my first full season on the WTA tour, where there are both substantial prize money and international attention, which allows me not only to donate my own funds but also to attract donations from abroad,' Olejnikova said. According to her, in 2026 she has already provided support worth approximately 150,000 euros to her patronized units, and 'the year is not yet over.' Thus, the donation from US Open became one of several large tranches within the annual cycle of assistance.

Context: Ukrainian tennis on the international stage

Olejnikova's story is not an isolated case in Ukrainian sports: a number of athletes have been directing part of their earnings to the army's needs throughout the full-scale conflict. At the same time, US Open-2026 itself served as confirmation for the Ukrainian tennis player that even in wartime, domestic athletes are capable of competing at the biggest tournaments and using the international platform to draw attention to support for the AFU. In parallel, the Ukrainian Davis Cup team started its campaign against Cyprus positively, which underscores the sustained activity of Ukrainian players on the world stage in 2026.