Travel Disruptions Following Dubai Championships

The outbreak of conflict in the Middle East coincided with the final of the ATP 500 tournament in Dubai, leading to partial closure of UAE airspace and leaving players stranded. The safety and well-being of our players, support teams and staff remains our priority, and we remain in close contact with those affected (by the situation), adds the ATP in a press release.

Key Players Depart for Indian Wells

According to Russian media reports, Daniil Medvedev, winner of the singles tournament, and his compatriots Andrey Rublev and Karen Khachanov were able to depart Dubai via Oman on Tuesday, traveling onward to Istanbul and then the United States.

All three are seeded for the Masters 1000 tournament in Indian Wells, which begins Wednesday. Exempt from the first round, they are scheduled to enter the competition on Friday and Saturday.

Further Departures and Tournament Cancellations

Finnish player Harri Heliövaara, doubles winner of the Emirati tournament with Briton Henry Patten, announced on Wednesday morning that he boarded a night flight to Milan on Tuesday evening. We managed to catch the flight to Milan and, as I write this, we are in Italian airspace, he wrote.

The ATP has cancelled the two ATP Challenger circuit tournaments scheduled to take place until March 15 in Fujairah, in the north-east of the United Arab Emirates.

ATP Support for Stranded Players

The ATP indicates that it is in close contact with the tournament organizers to support the players present on the site. Accommodation and essential needs continue to be provided by the tournament and a charter flight has been arranged and 100% funded for the ATP to attend their departures from the region at no cost to the players.