Russian tennis player Andrey Rublev wrote a truly courageous message on a TV camera moments after advancing to the final at the Dubai Championships on Friday.
A video of Rublev writing “No War Please” on a TV camera just after beating Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz in their semifinal match has taken Twitter by storm.
“In these moments you realize that my match is not important. It’s not about my match, how it affects me. What’s happening is much more terrible,” Rublev said on Thursday.
“You realize how important it is to have peace in the world and to respect each other no matter what, to be united. We should take care of our earth and of each other. This is the most important thing.”
Outkick’s Clay Travis tweeted, “Given the threats a Russian athlete can face from its government, this is what speaking truth to power actually looks like. And this takes true courage.”
And the praise just kept coming. Here are a few samples:
A few folks on Twitter couldn’t help noting the contrast between Rublev’s action and those of a certain American athlete who claims to care about human rights.