The two were holding a Ukrainian flag during Rublev’s match against Ruusuvuori, and while the Russian had no issue with the flag, it was the use of verbal obscenity by the duo that bothered him.
As the second set commenced, the World No. 6, who was visibly upset, had a word with the chair umpire and notified him about the verbal abuse.
After closing out the encounter 6-2, 6-4, 6-7(2), 6-3, in his favor, Andrey Rublev reiterated that he was aware of the tense global situation and was comfortable with any flag being put on display in his matches. At the same time, he made it clear that he was not uncomfortable with the slurs and insults thrown towards him.
“The only platform I can see - to show how important it is to be kind” - Andrey Rublev on using tennis as a platform to promote peace and kindness
The rising tensions between Russia and Ukraine have indirectly seeped into the world of sports, and Andrey Rublev has been one of the most vocal tennis players, pleading for Russian aggression in Ukraine to end. The 25-year-old has conveyed the message of peace in various ways while on tour.
Rublev recently spoke about using tennis as a platform to promote kindness and humility.
Speaking about Wimbledon ostracizing him and his compatriots during the 2022 event, the former World No. 5 said that mixing sports with politics was not a good look, and reiterated that players were eager to co-operate with the organizations in ways that wouldn’t halt their careers.
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