Russian tennis star Andrey Rublev used his platform at the Dubai Championships to speak against war in Ukraine.
Rublev, ranked seventh in the world, wrote, “No War Please” on a TV camera after beating Hubert Hurcacz 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (5) in a semifinal match. He wasn’t asked about the message in his on-court interview following the match.
Russia sent troops into Ukraine on Thursday after a long build-up. The invasion has triggered a humanitarian crisis and could result in the fall of the Ukrainian government.
A screengrab of Rublev’s anti-war message on a video camera. TSNRussia and its president, Vladimir Putin, have been condemned worldwide for the unprovoked aggression.
Daniil Medvedev, another Russian tennis player, who will be ranked No. 1 next week, spoke to reporters in Mexico about the invasion.
Russia’s Daniil Medvedev during a match at the Mexican Open. Getty Images“Watching the news from home, waking up here in Mexico, was not easy,” Medvedev said. “By being a tennis player, I want to promote peace all over the world. We play in so many different countries. It’s just not easy to hear all this news. I’m all for peace.”
The ATP is scheduled to play a 250-point tournament, the Kremlin Cup, in Moscow the week of Oct. 17. Other sporting bodies, including UEFA and Formula 1, have pulled events out of Russia in the wake of the invasion.
