'No War Please': Andrey Rublev's message after reaching Dubai Tennis Championships final

Russian writes message on TV camera moments after securing a place in Saturday's final against Czech qualifier Jiri Vesely

Russia's Andrey Rublev will face Czech qualifier Jiri Vesely in Saturday’s final of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.

The number two seed claimed a tense 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 victory over Hubert Hurkacz and Vesely outlasted sixth seed Denis Shapovalov 6-7, 7-6, 7-6.

Rublev wrote “No War Please” on a TV camera moments after advancing to the final at the Dubai Championships on Friday.

Rublev had just beaten Hurkacz when he wrote his message on the camera, as is common after matches.

Rublev will face Czech qualifier Vesely for the first time in the Dubai final on Saturday.

Vesely, who knocked out Novak Djokovic in the quarterf-inals, followed with another top-20 win when he outlasted Denis Shapovalov in more than three hours.

Dubai Tennis Championship

Russia's Andrey Rublev returns the ball to Poland's Hubert Hurkacz during their semi-final match of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship on Friday, February 25, 2022. AP Photo

“I’m having a dream run here,” Vesely said.

Colm McLoughlin, executive vice chairman and CEO of Dubai Duty Free, said: "We could not have wished for two better semi-finals.”

"It is a pity that someone had to lose as all four deserved their place in the final, but we congratulate Andrey Rublev and Jiri Vesely and look forward to seeing which of them will claim the trophy," he added.

Updated: June 09, 2023, 10:57 AM