Russian tennis star Andrey Rublev shared a powerful message of peace at the Dubai Tennis Championships.
After coming out victorious in his semifinal match against Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz, the athlete used a marker to write these three words on a camera operator’s lens: “No more war.”
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
His statement came one day after Russia, under the order of President Vladimir Putin, began its assault on Ukraine.
On the day the invasion began, Andrey reflected on the magnitude of the situation and how the tournament paled in comparison.
“In these moments, you realize that my match is not important. So it’s not about my match, how it affects me,” he said in a press conference. “What’s happening is much more terrible. Like I said, you realize how important it is to have peace in the world and to respect each other no matter what, and to be united. … We should take care of our earth and of each other, and this is the most important thing.”
Andrey went on to win the men’s singles championship, beating Czech tennis star Jiří Veselý in two sets. Jiří also shared a written message on camera during the tournament, writing for his, “No war!” with a large exclamation point.
@jiri_vesely pic.twitter.com/3rqiwrfDsd
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 25, 2022