Source : ABC NEWS
An ATP Challenger tennis tournament in the United Arab Emirates was halted abruptly due to a security alert amid the ongoing Middle East war, as players and officials fled from the courts to designated safe areas.
The United States and Israel launched air strikes on Iran over the weekend, killing the Islamic Republic’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and retaliatory missiles were fired at targets in the Arabian Peninsula.
Play in the Fujairah Challenger event — a lower-tier ATP tournament — was suspended in line with established security protocols, before being cancelled for the remainder of the day as a precaution.
Footage online showed Japan’s Hayato Matsuoka and Belarusian Daniil Ostapenkov leave the court midway through their qualifying match before the chair umpire made an announcement and followed suit.
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The ATP later made the decision to cancel the tournament.
“Following ongoing security concerns in the region, the ATP Challenger Tour events scheduled in Fujairah this week and next week have been cancelled,” the ATP said in a statement.
“The safety and wellbeing of our players and tournament personnel is our highest priority.
“Players remain on site and are being fully supported, with accommodation and all immediate needs covered while onward travel arrangements are explored.”
Australians James McCabe, Cruz Hewitt and Jason Kubler were scheduled to play in the main draw.
The war has led to airspace closures and flight cancellations across parts of the gulf, disrupting a key transit hub for international sport and complicating player travel.
Daniil Medvedev, who won the Dubai Championships title via walkover on Saturday, and his fellow Russian Andrey Rublev, are among several players facing challenges to reach the next stop on the ATP Tour in Indian Wells, California.
Reuters
