Drone attacks cause players to flee the court, ATP cancels tennis tournament in UAE

The Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) has decided to cancel the Fujairah Open in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) after drone attacks rendered the regional security situation hazardous.

The decision was made after an oil storage facility near the competition venue was struck by debris from an intercepted aerial device, forcing players and officials to hastily evacuate the courts.

The incident occurred on Tuesday in the city of Fujairah, approximately 145 km east of Dubai. Two ongoing matches had to be urgently halted when a fire broke out at the Fujairah Oil Industrial Zone, about 10 km from the venue.

Live footage on the ATP website showed Japanese player Hayato Matsuoka and his Russian opponent Daniil Ostapenkov, along with the chair umpire and line judges, hastily leaving the court during their third set. Organizers repeatedly shouted instructions for everyone to evacuate the competition area.

According to a statement from the Fujairah media office: "The competent authorities have dealt with the fire at the Fujairah Oil Industrial Zone caused by falling debris after the air defense system successfully intercepted a drone." No casualties were reported, but authorities continued to cordon off the site.

Over three consecutive days, Iran launched drones and missiles towards the UAE in retaliation for US and Israeli airstrikes targeting Iran, severely disrupting regional airspace.

Ukrainian player Vladyslav Orlov stated he heard fighter jets flying overhead during his qualifying match and described the situation as "not safe at all." "There is a lot of smoke in the air. It is genuinely unsafe here right now," Orlov wrote on social media.

Initially, the ATP only postponed play for the day, but after a security risk assessment, the organization decided to cancel the entire remainder of this week's tournament as well as a second Challenger event scheduled at the same venue next week.

An ATP spokesperson stated: "Due to ongoing security concerns in the region, the ATP Challenger Tour events in Fujairah this week and next have been canceled. The safety of the players and tournament personnel is our highest priority."

The ATP confirmed that players are still being fully supported with accommodation and essential needs, and the organization is working closely with local authorities and the tournament organizer to arrange safe travel options.

Approximately 40 players, team members, and media personnel remain stranded in Dubai due to airspace closures over the past weekend. All scheduled commercial flights remain suspended, with only a limited number of priority flights departing for passengers with early bookings or in transit.

An initial notice sent to players indicated they could book seats on a chartered flight for 5,000 euros per person. However, according to the Press Association, the ATP is seeking alternative options to assist with the costs of leaving the UAE.

Higher-profile players who competed in the Dubai Tennis Championships are also stranded after the tournament concluded on Saturday. Former world number one Daniil Medvedev along with fellow Russians Andrey Rublev and Karen Khachanov arranged their own departure from the UAE via Oman.

British player Henry Patten and his Finnish doubles partner Harri Heliovaara have also left. Heliovaara, who is traveling with his two young children, shared on his personal blog about their arduous journey, which included a seven-hour drive in an attempt to reach Muscat (Oman) but being denied at the border. "Today we drove for seven hours and ended up back where we started. It was not a pleasant trip, especially with the whole family crammed in the car for hours," he wrote. Heliovaara later updated that the family had caught a flight from Dubai to Milan, but it was still uncertain if they would make it to California in time for the tournament.

The prestigious BNP Paribas Open Masters 1000 tournament in Indian Wells (USA) has begun. Seeded players like Medvedev or Rublev are only scheduled to play from this weekend, but the delayed travel could significantly impact their preparation plans.