Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev and Tallon Griekspoor are among more than 40 ATP players, officials and staff still stuck in Dubai following the escalation of conflict in the Middle East as flights out of the United Arab Emirates remain cancelled.
The trio competed in the latter stages of the Dubai Tennis Championships with the semi-finals taking place on Friday and the finals staged the following day at the Aviation Club Tennis Centre.
However, the singles final never materialised as Griekspoor withdrew prior to the match due to a hamstring injury, handing Medvedev his 23rd ATP Tour title.
But that news took a backseat in the bigger scheme of things as the United States and Israel launched military action on Iran and the latter retaliated by attacking various American bases in the region, including the United Arab Emirates.
It resulted in airspaces being closed with Medvedev, Griekspoor, Rublev and Marcelo Arevalo, Mate Pavic, Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten forced to seek shelter in their respective hotels.
Medvedev gave an update on Sunday as he confirmed he is fine, but it remains to be seen when and if he will be able to leave Dubai.
According to MARCA, the ATP held an emergency meeting on Sunday evening to discuss alternative travelling options for those players who were due to fly to the United States for the Indian Wells Open.
The Spanish publication states: “Two of these options are by road: a six-hour drive to Oman, which has closed its airport, or a 10-hour drive to Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), with the risk of what might happen on such long journeys, plus long queues at both borders”.
It adds that the players have decided not to take up either of those offers as “after weighing the pros and cons, the tennis players have decided not to move from their current residence for now and are very clear that their chances of competing in Indian Wells are becoming increasingly slim”.
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The ATP’s head of security has told those still in Dubai to stay in the hotel, “which has been turned into a bunker. Beds have been set up on the lower ground floor in case Iran’s attacks intensify”.
According to the tennis organisation, there are at least 41 people – including, players, staff, officials and journalists – in the Middle East country with many of them now touch and go ahead of the next event, the Indian Wells Open in California.
The main draw for the ATP Masters 1000 event in the United States gets underway on March 4 and players have guaranteed reservations for flights until March 3.
Authorities are hopeful that the airspace will reopen on Monday afternoon, leading to a scramble to get on the first flights out of Dubai.
The post Indian Wells Open: Players in Dubai say no to ATP travelling offers after emergency meeting – report appeared first on Tennis365.
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