Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev are among the ATP Tour players currently stuck in Dubai due to uncertainty in the Middle East — but the Russian duo reportedly have a plan to leave.
World No 11 Medvedev and world No 17 Rublev were both in action at the Dubai Tennis Championships this week, with the former lifting the title and the latter reaching the semi-final.
However, the Russian duo and a string of other ATP players and staff are now stuck in the city due to the growing conflict in the Middle East, with flights from Dubai, other cities in the UAE, and across the region as a whole suspended due to safety concerns.
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While it is a trivial concern in the grand scheme of things, ATP players such as Medvedev and Rublev now face the issue of trying to safely leave the city to head to the United States, with action at the Masters 1000 event in Indian Wells this week.
However, both Medvedev and Rublev now reportedly have a plan to attempt to leave Dubai and make their way to California.
Medvedev and Rublev’s plan
As per the Spanish sports website Marca, Medvedev and Rublev are now reportedly set to head to Oman by car.
Oman borders the United Arab Emirates, and the border between the two countries is around a 90-minute drive from Dubai, though concerns have been raised about heavy traffic at the border crossing.
However, Oman is currently one of the countries in the Middle East with the least risk amid the growing conflict, and likely represents the safest and quickest option for people to leave the area.
According to Marca, Medvedev and Rublev are reportedly set to drive to Oman, where they will take a private jet to leave the country, most likely flying to Turkey and Armenia.
From there, the two will reportedly then fly to California for action in Indian Wells, with action at the Masters 1000 event set to begin on Wednesday, March 4.
However, as seeded players in the men’s singles draw, neither of the two Russians will be in action until either Friday or Saturday due to opening-round byes.
ATP statement
The ATP has previously released a statement, updating those concerned about the ongoing situation.
It wrote: “The ATP is closely monitoring the evolving situation in the Middle East and remains in regular contact with our players, their support teams and relevant local authorities.
“The health, safety and wellbeing of our players, staff and tournament personnel is our priority. We can confirm that a small number of players and team members remain in Dubai following the conclusion of the recent ATP 500 event. They and their teams are being accommodated in the tournament’s official hotels, where their immediate needs are being fully supported.
“We are in direct communication with those affected, as well as with tournament organisers and security advisors. At this stage, travel arrangements remain subject to ongoing assessment in line with airline operations and official guidance. We will continue to provide appropriate support to ensure players and their teams can depart safely when conditions allow.
“We will continue to assess developments and provide updates as appropriate.”
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