Tennis stars stuck in Dubai given extra shelter by tournament organizers as they desperately try to flee amid Iranian missile strikes
Players at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships have been provided shelter as Iran continues its onslaught on the emirate.
Iran launched a revenge strike of hundreds of missiles and suicide drones at Dubai after the assassination of its Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei amid a joint US-Israel attack on the capital of Tehran.
Amid the retaliation on the United Arab Emirates, which saw the famous Palm Jumeirah Fairmont Hotel struck, airspace over Dubai has been closed.
Tennis stars, including former world No 1 Daniil Medvedev, had been competing in the UAE at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, which concluded at the weekend.
Amid the chaos, concerns have been raised for the players’ safety with them unable to flee the country.
Tournament organizers have now confirmed to the Daily Mail that extra accommodation has been provided for the players and staff amid the strikes.
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Players at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships have been provided additional shelter
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Smoke rises from Dubai International Airport this morning as Emirates planes remain grounded
‘Following the conclusion of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on Saturday 28 February, tournament organisers have extended the hosted accommodation protocols for all ATP officials, players, and support staff by an additional three days,’ a spokesperson for the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships told the Daily Mail.
Russia’s Medvedev came away with his 23rd ATP singles title after the injured Tallon Griekspoor withdrew from Saturday’s final. Griekspoor injured a hamstring in Friday’s semifinal win over Andrey Rublev but couldn’t recover for the final.
Despite the chaos in the region, Saturday’s doubles final was played as Finland’s Harri Heliovaara and Great Britain’s Henry Patten beat Croatia’s Mate Pavic and Marcelo Arevalo of El Salvador.
Nervous tennis fans took to social media on Saturday evening to share their fears and frustrations with the current situation in Dubai.
‘It’s honestly surreal and nerve-racking to think a major final in Dubai, like the Dubai Tennis Championships could be in jeopardy because of regional tensions and missile activity,’ one person wrote on X.
‘Reports say Iran has launched missiles that have affected airspace and caused airspace closures and flight suspensions across the UAE, Qatar and other Gulf states as a precaution amid escalation between the United States, Israel and Iran.’
‘Imagine training your whole life for a final and then this happens?’ another asked. ‘I really hope all the players and fans stay safe.’
One person described the decision to play as ‘absolutely reckless.’
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Saturday’s doubles final was played as Finland’s Harri Heliovaara and Great Britain’s Henry Patten won despite the chaos
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Dubai’s iconic sail-shaped Burj Al Arab was ablaze following Iranian attacks
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The Palm Jumeirah hotel in Dubai was engulfed in flames yesterday after being hit, with four people injured
On Saturday in Dubai, Iranian suicide drones hit the landmark hotel the Palm Jumeirah, injuring four people, as well as the iconic sail-shaped Burj Al Arab hotel, sparking panic among tourists.
Dramatic footage showed a fireball in the sky near the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, as a weapon was intercepted.
The Dubai Media Office confirmed that debris from drones intercepted by air defences had fallen onto two homes in the city, injuring two people, and also caused a fire at the major Jebel Ali port.
Further videos overnight showed panic in a smoke-filled, debris-strewn terminal at Dubai Airport, which has been evacuated after four members of staff were injured.
Tehran expanded its bombardment and vowed to unleash its ‘most intense offensive operation in history’, amid fierce warnings to back down from Israel and the US, and missiles striking the ‘heart’ of its capital on Sunday.
Multiple rounds of further blasts echoed around Dubai this morning, with the most recent reported just before 12pm GMT/7am ET.
In the last few hours, residents of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s capital, also reported hearing several loud bangs.
Explosions have been heard for a second day in Qatar, Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait and Iraq, and in Oman for the first time, though most missiles and drones have been downed by air defences.
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