Thanks to the efforts of tennis.com writer Peter Bodo, Ukrainian tennis prodigy Vlada Hranchar earned a tryout with legendary tennis coach Rick Macci (who has worked with, among others, the Williams sisters, Jennifer Capriati and Andy Roddick). The tryout turned into a scholarship to Macci’s famed tennis academy in Boca Raton, Florida, for the eight-year-old at the end of 2023.
Vlada’s parents, Dmytro and Maryna Hranchar, survived a harrowing escape from their home in Ukraine in the wake of the Russian invasion, ending up in Vermont. Realizing the state was not a tennis hotbed, the family established a relationship with Bodo and after nearly two years of searching for a new permanent home, found one in Florida.
Early on Feb. 24, 2022, the walls in the Hranchar’s Odesa apartment began to shake and the local military base was being bombed by the invading Russians. Maryna was in the midst of preparing to fly to the US with daughter Vlada to attend a family reunion. It was supposed to be an extended visit including a long-term visa for Vlada arranged by the USA Tennis Tour. US Covid restrictions turned them back only to be further delayed by the first of two strokes suffered by Maryna’s father and her own case of Covid-19. Dmytro had gone on ahead to prepare for his wife and daughter’s arrival.
The next day, on Feb. 25, 2022, Maryna and Vlada drove to Moldova, where after a 19-hour wait at a checkpoint, the two eventually met up with Dmytro in New York. The three of them went on to Albany hoping to meet with Vermont-based tennis pro Chris Lewit.
Lewit was one of the several tennis pros who were so impressed with Vlada’s Instagram account that he offered his assistance to the Hranchars. In Londonberry, Vermont, at Lewit’s tennis academy, Vlada received instruction from a number of experienced pros. However, training her pro bono on a committed basis proved untenable for them, embarrassing for the Hranchars and career-impeding for young Vlada.
The Hranchars managed to quickly develop a warm rapport with many people in Vermont, even obtaining a free living arrangement in Lewit’s guest house and the home of a snowbird. Locals donated money, provided food and other help, as well as lots of compassion. A contractor by trade, Dmytro found employment. The only thing missing was the elite training that a young tennis prodigy requires.
At three years old, Vlada’s parents pushed her into ballet, drawing, music and gymnastics, but all Vlada wanted to do was play tennis. At five years old, she was Ukraine’s top 7-and-under prospect. One year later, while hitting balls on a public court in Odesa, an older girl was impressed with her ability, searched out her parents and worked her out for a few hours. Dayana Yastremska’s interest encouraged the Hranchars to try to enroll Vlada in a training camp sponsored by Elina Svitolina.
Too young to participate in Svitolina’s program, Vlada was told to reapply after turning seven. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the war stifled those plans.
Vlada thrived in Vermont, impressed her new neighbors and learned a lot from her rotating coaches. In time, private financial aid diminished and the coaches had to attend to other responsibilities. Relocation to a warmer climate seemed a given.
Vlada impressed with her technical skills, her inner drive, curiosity and desire to learn in a joyful way. She has an eye for detail and an inclination to repeat what she learns. She can easily step it up a notch or two when needed with tons of self-confidence. Many talented young athletes have some of these attributes, but Vlada seems to have them all.
Rick Macci would later say he realized this young Ukrainian girl could be a champion five minutes after meeting her. Physically still small at eight years old, she plays big, meaning when she grows up she will play even bigger. On top of everything, she has the heart of a lion.
As developed as Vlada was, Macci decided her game needed an overhaul – more of a rock-solid technique. He set out to make things shorter, quicker and faster, more in tune with the changes in today’s WTA and projecting the game into the near future.
It is necessary to remember this is an 8-year-old’s progression in the sport of tennis. Down the road, as she matures into her teen years and beyond, she may encounter obstacles. At the present time, however, she cannot be derailed from her track of playing lots of tennis, getting better every day, and being happy doing it.
Vlada is still a child at heart – a spirited, fun-loving and passionate girl. On Sundays she sings songs in church, participates in folk dance classes, loves math as an online student and has fun in the heat of training sessions at the tennis academy.
Her favorite things include some of the dolls she took with her from Ukraine, borscht, swimming pools, pancakes, dancing, sushi and sledding with her father when they lived in Vermont. Speaking of which, she says she will never forget the state’s Green Mountains because she once saw a bear with two little cubs.
She occasionally speaks with her 26-year-old brother Vadym and other family members back in Ukraine. Her goal in life is to be a champion woman’s tennis player, #1 in the world. She lists Elina Svitolina, Iga Swiatek and Serena Williams as her favorite players.
In the meantime, Vlada Hranchar seems comfortable and happy at Macci’s academy, feeling quite at home. She, along with her parents, seems to have finally achieved some stability in their lives. Her routine includes doing drills at a rapid pace peppered with cries of success, collecting tennis balls, a quick drink of water, sometimes working one-on-one with an instructor, other times with talented kids.
It is a long day of work for this prodigy, twiggy lean and maybe three times taller than the racquet with which she fires forehands and rips backhands. Her racquet swings already feature equal measures of brute power and superb timing.