Rublev’s charity promises money for kids, it just can’t say which ones

Russian star Andrey Rublev stepped onto the court in this year’s Open donning his very own fashion label – Rublo – named after him and sporting the logo of a pair of stylised angel wings.

It’s part of his social enterprisey-style not-for-profit charity which he says raises money for young people.

Andrey Rublev wearing his label, Rublo.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

Which young people you ask? We wondered the same thing. After perusing Rublo’s detail-light disclosures on his website we also couldn’t figure out who, or why the charity’s headquarters is in the United Arab Emirates. The answers, such as they were, surprised us.

Not only is the charitable aspect of the company on hold due to legal problems in the UAE (the charity incorporated in Fujairah, UAE’s seventh-largest city with a population of just over 120,000), but the Rublo representative didn’t point to a specific charity or country which would benefit when things were back up and running.

“The charity aspect of Rublo’s mission is temporarily on hold due to certain legal considerations in the United Arab Emirates. We are actively working to resolve these issues to resume our charitable initiatives as soon as possible,” a representative of Rublo told us.

“As of now, all profits from the inaugural collection, ‘Play for the Kids’, are intended to be donated to a charity dedicated to supporting children.

“However, specific details about the charity, the amount to be donated, and other related information are pending confirmation until we can resume our charity efforts.”

What were those legal problems? They wouldn’t get specific.

The cost to an Australian consumer for the extra small ‘White Match Shirt’ was, on Wednesday morning, $112.15 AUD (including postage).

Their slogan, “PLAY FOR THE KIDS, PLAY FOR THE LIGHT” certainly has an optimistic mystique about it, given details like “how we do that” are still under development.

Rublev reacts after losing a point.Credit: AP

Despite all of this, the charity has high praise for its founder.

Rublev believes, it says, in the “the transformative power of supporting the youth”, his “brand thus serves as a beacon of hope … through its underlying mission of nurturing the potential of the next generation”.

Additionally, the website claims, “100 per cent of the profits from this collection will be donated to a charity dedicated to child welfare, reflecting Andrey’s dedication to making a tangible difference in young lives”.

We’re not saying the goal is unworthy, or Rublev ill-equipped, but best practice is to be upfront. We sought comment from his camp and are yet to hear back.

Michelle Payne at the Emirates ladies lunch on Wednesday.

MICHELLE PAYNE’S OPEN PUNT

Attendees at the Emirates ladies lunch at the Australian Open on Wednesday could have been forgiven for thinking they were at the races instead of the tennis. Guests included champion trainer Gai Waterhouse, Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Michelle Payne and Victoria Racing Club board member Ann Peacock.

Lunch was held in the Emirates marquee in the “millionaires row” next to Rod Laver Arena which includes a replica of an A380 bar.

Guests drank Piper-Heidsieck champagne and dined on caviar blinis and lobsters served in their shells.

Gai Waterhouse shares tips for horses, not tennis.

When asked for tips on who would win the Open, Waterhouse instead had tips on “some very smart two-year-olds” and “a good chance for the Blue Diamond”. After slight initial confusion, it became clear these were her tips for horses not tennis.

“I can’t give any tips on tennis. What’s that saying, horses for courses?” she said.

Payne however had plenty to say about the tennis.

“I always try to pick the winner each year,” she said. “I have a little bet on it because we’re not allowed to bet in racing but we are allowed to bet on the tennis.”

Payne has backed Jannik Sinner but said she is “very, very nervous about [Novak] Djokovic” and in the women’s she’s backing Coco Gauff and Qinwen Zheng.

Tennis fans Kate Morris, co-founder of Adore Beauty, and Dani Willis were also lunch guests and both were feeling slightly bleary-eyed after staying up late to watch the Sinner and Rublev match.

Willis said she’s told her husband, Australian cricket star Steve Smith, that she wishes he was good at tennis rather than cricket, as that’s her preferred sport to watch.

AN UNFAIR SHAKE

Politics again reared its head on Wednesday when an habitual gesture by 16-year-old Ukrainian tennis player Yelyzaveta Kotliar, shaking the hand of the player she just lost to, Russian Vlada Mincheva, caused a stir in her home country.

The handshake armistice is an established policy between military combatants Russia and Ukraine with the pair agreeing before the tournament that handshaking was off limits for players at the conclusion of matches.

Kotliar’s father, Konstantin Kotliar, issued a statement with the Ukraine Tennis Federation (UTF), who labelled the shake an “unpleasant incident” and reiterated that their players do not “hold handshakes with representatives of aggressor countries”.

“[Yelyzaveta] is only 16 years old and has no real experience of appearing in major competitions like Grand Slam tournaments, the pinnacle of both professional and youth tennis. There is an extraordinary atmosphere here, which in itself puts a lot of pressure on athletes,” he said.

‘Ukrainians, we have our position. We are not shaking the hands.’

Ukrainian player Dayana Yastremska

“At the beginning of the career, it’s hard to handle this and not [be] nervous … my daughter wasn’t feeling calm, her emotions were beating the edge, so she wasn’t fully in control of her behaviour.

“It was definitely a mistake that Lisa is deeply sorry and assures that she will never allow anything like this again.”

Experienced Ukrainian player Dayana Yastremska had a touch of sympathy for Kotliar too, saying she got “too emotional and confused”.

“Ukrainians, we have our position. We are not shaking the hands,” Yastremska said.

“But I think she’s still a little bit young. Not so experienced. It can happen with everyone, you know … I’m sure that she stand by Ukraine, and I’m sure that she just got too emotional and confused.”

In the midst of the war, small gestures can sometimes spark a big reaction. There are reports now that the UTF will be investigating the matter.

With Scott Spits

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