Russian tennis player pleads for ‘no war please’ by writing on TV camera

By Matt Collins Article may include affiliate links

A Russian tennis player make an up close and personal statement to viewers about his home country’s attack on Ukraine after advancing to the final in the Dubai Tennis Championship Feb. 25, 2022.

After qualifying for the key final round, Andrey Rublev, 24, approached a camera operator on the sidelines and used a blue marker to write “No war please” on the transparent covering of the lens hood.

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

Rubley wrote in English, but because he write it to read correctly from his perspective, it was in reverse to viewers.

The broadcast team on the ground did manage to get another camera operator to point at the camera Rubley wrote on from the front view, making it read correctly.

The camera appeared to have Arabic markings on its built in microphone cover.

The act was widely viewed as an act of protest against his country’s decision to invade Ukraine.

Technically Rubley did not write directly on the lens of the camera as some outlets are reporting, but rather than clear protective piece mounted at the end of the lens hood. This was also evident in that the words were not significantly distorted by the curve of the lens and appears to be slightly “in front” of the screen from a viewers’ perspective.