Andrey Rublev. Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

Russian tennis player Andrey Rublev writes message about war on TV camera

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports
By Steve DelVecchio | Last updated 2/25/22

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.

Russian tennis player Andrey Rublev writes "No war please" on the camera following his advancement to the final in Dubai. pic.twitter.com/GQe8d01rTd

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) February 25, 2022

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.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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