IMAGE: Andrey Rublev made sure to write where he stood in regards to the conflict. Photograph: Screengrab
Russian tennis player Andrey Rublev wrote ‘No War Please’ on a TV camera moments after advancing to the final at the Dubai Championships on Friday.
The 24-year-old received a large round of applause from the audience after he wrote the message.
The seventh-ranked Rublev had just beaten Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (5) in their semifinal match before writing his message on the camera — as is common after matches.
Russian troops bore down on Ukraine’s capital Friday in an invasion of a democratic country that has fueled fears of wider war in Europe and triggered worldwide efforts to make Russia stop.
The Russian tennis player admitted to receiving negative comments towards him this week due to the Russia-Ukraine military crisis. With the marker, Rublev made sure to write where he stood in regards to the conflict.
Rublev isn’t the only star tennis player from Russia calling for peace this week. World No 1 Daniil Medvedev took the time in his post-game interview on Thursday at the Mexican Open to preach his wish for peace in the world.
“Watching the news from home, waking up here in Mexico, was not easy,” said Medvedev, who will become the No. 1 men’s player when rankings are announced next week.
“By being a tennis player, I want to promote peace all over the world,” Medvedev continued. “We play in so many different countries. It’s just not easy to hear all this news. I’m all for peace.”
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