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Andre Rublev has become the latest Russian sports star to voice his opposition to the invasion of Ukraine.
The tennis star wrote the phrase 'No War Please' on a TV camera’s lens after reaching the final of the Dubai Championships on Friday.
Rublev wrote the anti-war message instead of his signature after beating Poland's Hubert Hurkacz 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (5) in their semi-final match.
It comes after Russia launched a full-scale military invasion of neighbouring Ukraine on Thursday.
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Rublev had recently won the Open 13 Provence doubles title in Marseille, playing alongside Ukraine’s Denys Molchanov.
He has received praise for voicing his opposition to the war.
“This is very brave. I don't think people realize how far these folks are sticking their neck out. Thanks again for this great message,” wrote one fan on Twitter.
On Thursday, Dynamo Moscow striker Fedor Smolov has become the first high-profile Russian footballer to speak out against the war on Ukraine.
Taking to Instagram, Smolov simply posted a black square with the caption 'No War,' and included a Ukraine flag and a broken heart to his post.
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Meanwhile, thousands of ordinary Russians defied police threats to join anti-war protests in cities across the country in the wake of the invasion.
Russian president Vladimir Putin’s decision to press forward with the invasion has already had a major impact on the sporting calendar for 2022.
UEFA has stripped Russia of the right to host this season’s Champions League final.
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The event was due to take place at the Gazprom Arena in St Petersburg on May 28 but has now been moved to the Stade de France in Paris.
Formula One has also scrapped the Russian Grand Prix, which was due to take place in Sochi on September 25.
Featured Image Credit: Twitter: TSN SportsTopics: Tennis
