Andrey Rublev reached the final of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships with a win over Hubert Hurkacz on Friday, and he made a strong political statement after the match.
Rublev, who is from Russia, took a marker and wrote “no war please” across the lens of a TSN camera.
Rublev, the No. 11-ranked player in the world, came from down a set to defeat Hurkacz in Friday’s semi-final match.
Russia officially invaded Ukraine this week, with Vladimir Putin declaring war against the country. This is the escalation of a conflict that has been brewing since 2014. Many athletes have already spoken out against Russia’s actions, including two NBA players who issued statements on Thursday.
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