Nikita Petruk was attracted to the sport of tennis because it demands athletes to pursue their own, individual style of play.
Fair to say the 18-year-old’s life story has a similar philosophy.
Born in Ukraine, Petruk was athletic from an early age, starting with soccer. When he was 7, a friend suggested they watch a tennis match. Within a week, Petruk picked up a racquet — and never looked back.
He worked his way through the Ukrainian tennis circuit, persisted through long tournaments and practices, and became one of the country’s top youth players.
But reality would change: Petruk and his mother, Svitlana, fled Ukraine after Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, when he was almost 14.
His teenage life was thrown into upheaval, with the pair living in Romania, Spain and Belgium before receiving asylum in the United States in 2023. In September of that year, Petruk enrolled as a sophomore at Baldwin High School.
At points in his stops in Europe, Petruk was able to play tennis, but not with the consistency he could in pre-war Ukraine.
But once Petruk landed at Baldwin, he was able to return to his area of athletic excellence — a welcome reprieve after a year-and-a-half of tumult and trauma escaping from a war-torn home country.
“I got very adaptable to everything,” said Petruk, 18, of Whitehall. “It is what it is. I’ve got to take it.”
At home on the court
Baldwin is the seventh school for Petruk. He attended three in Ukraine, plus schools in Spain, Belgium and Louisiana before relocating to Allegheny County.
Petruk cautiously found his footing at Baldwin High, adjusting to the more than 1,500-student school. One thing he knew for certain: join the tennis team.
“Tennis helped me to get connections in Baldwin. That’s how I made my first friends,” he said. The task was easier than he might have expected: “Ukrainians and Americans have different personalities. Americans are very social and friendly.”
Stellanie Kyros, Baldwin’s tennis coach, remembers her first interaction with Petruk that year. Petruk didn’t reveal to Kyros many details of his background or his tennis experience in Ukraine.
But those first strokes on Baldwin’s court were a homecoming of sorts for Petruk.
“At first, he was shy and apprehensive, but he really loved the sport,” she said. “He put his all in the ball. I’m like, ‘This kid can play.’ ”
The only major adjustment to U.S. tennis is that most American courts are hard surface; in Ukraine, most courts are clay.
Between fleeing his home country, bouncing around Europe and eventually landing and adjusting to American high school life, Petruk had every reason to not succeed on the court.
Instead, he blossomed.
In Petruk’s first season at Baldwin, he won the North Allegheny High School singles tournament, a competitive tournament among high school athletes during the regular season. He has qualified for the WPIAL tournament the past two years.
“This kid plays tennis like I’ve never seen before,” Kyros said. “Crowds watch him in awe, and when he finishes his match, he takes time to humbly greet everyone who stayed to watch and never takes credit for his work. He’s an exceptional player and an incredible person. Even when his opponents aren’t respectful, he’s always taking the high road.”
Petruk has a “pro-level skill” and confidence few of his peers and opponents have, Kyros said. He will try new things during matches with a level-headed confidence — something not many No. 1 singles players do, Kyros said.
Petruk’s leadership rubs off on his teammates, even to friend Carter Smeal, the No. 2 singles player. Often, those two positions can spar ugly competition among teams, as athletes aim for the top spot.
Not at Baldwin.
“He has always been there for me, and to support me,” Smeal said. “He wins us a lot of matches and is there to support us. He’s a really great leader, role model and friend.”
Overcoming adversity
Petruk believes his personality helped him overcome the uncertainty in his adolescence, and assimilate into American culture.
“I like to speak to everyone and meet new people,” he said. “The school system is more comfortable than Ukraine. Teachers are more kind, classes are better, it’s a different type of education in the United States than Ukraine.”
Although he maintains a low-key profile, things are still uncertain in Petruk’s life. His older brother, Roma, remains in Ukraine. His father, Valeriy, is in Slovenia.
Even with uncertainty and stress in his personal life, Petruk never shows it, Kyros said. Petruk often checks in on his teammates and friends. No one is left worrying about him.
“It makes me so comforted to see he didn’t let the cards he was dealt interfere with that,” Kyros said.
At heart, Petruk is a joyful, silly kid, Kyros said. His strength overcoming challenges has inspired teammates and contributed to a strong team morale.
“Sports can bring out an aggressive side in kids and I’ve seen it get ugly for other teams. Never ours,” she said. “Day one rules have always been the same — respect, discipline and integrity. By leading with that, they have all become one big, uplifting crew.”
At school, Petruk is most interested in science courses, he said. He plans to study mechanical engineering at Duquesne University and pursue a career in the automotive industry. He wants to stay involved in the sport at Duquesne and continue playing tennis as an adult.
“I’m really glad he landed in Baldwin after all he’s been through,” said Smeal, the teammate. “It’s special to have someone like him at Baldwin.”