The 7th-ranked player made his statement moments after advancing to the final at the Dubai Championships on Friday writing 'No war please' on the camera lens.
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
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 a wider war in Europe and triggered worldwide efforts to
make Russia stop. Rublev wasn’t asked about the message during his on-court interview immediately following the match.