Dreams love surprises too

May 26

Rome and a dream that came true in a single turn of my head.

Something very special happened to me this time in Rome 🇮🇹🎾

On my way home I was so tired that I couldn't fully realize what had happened.

And only today, sitting on my balcony in Kyiv, holding Francesca Schiavone’s book in my hands again, I understood:

some dreams come true only after decades.

And sometimes — completely unexpectedly.

These were feelings I had never experienced before.

Maybe you also have stories about dreams that suddenly came true — in one second, completely out of nowhere?

My dream came true with one turn of my head to the right.

And there she was — the tennis player who inspired me back in my twenties, when I chose to live through sport.

She was special.

Emotional — like many Italians.

Strong, genuine, funny.

And she turned every match into a show.

Her love for the game spread to everyone around her.

Maybe that’s why I still love tennis.

And there I was, attending a tournament in Rome for the first time.

Francesca Schiavone no longer plays — now she coaches.

And seeing her there today is actually a very small chance.

But on the very first day, on the exact court where my friend and I were sitting, her player happened to be competing.

I didn't even know that.

Just a happy coincidence.

I moved a little closer to where she was sitting with the other coaches and spent a few minutes simply watching her, smiling and trying to realize:

my dream had come true.

Getting an autograph or going over to say something never even crossed my mind.

It was enough just to be somewhere nearby.

To see with my own eyes a person whose energy is so powerful that it can change other people’s lives.

Last year I read her book using ChatGPT because it was available only in Italian.

Life changes so much.

New technologies appear, there is so much information around us, and sometimes it becomes difficult to understand what truly matters.

But when it comes to dreams, I have no doubts.

We all have different ones.

And maybe they shape the way we see ourselves, the world, and the people around us.

And maybe dreams give us the greatest energy to keep moving forward

Thank you for reading!

Life beyond the screen