A tennis tournament in the United Arab Emirates was dramatically halted on Tuesday when debris from an intercepted drone ignited near the venue.
Two matches at the Fujairah Open were suspended after a fire broke out at an oil terminal around six miles away, reportedly caused by falling debris following an Iranian drone attack.
The incident came amid escalating regional tensions after strikes on Iran by the United States and Israel on Saturday.
An ATP Challenger Tour match between Belarusian Daniil Ostapenkov and top seed Hayato Matsuoka of Japan was suspended mid-game, as players and officials were ordered to evacuate.
Footage from the qualifying rounds shows Matsuoka preparing to serve in the third set when sirens begin to ring and a loud rumbling noise is heard. He pauses to speak to the umpire before a tournament official instructs the players to ‘get inside the building please’.
‘Relevant authorities responded to a fire that broke out in the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone, resulting from falling debris following the successful interception of a drone by air defence systems,’ the Fujairah Government media office said in a statement.
A match between Belarusian Daniil Ostapenkov and top seed Hayato Matsuoka of Japan was suspended mid-game, as players and officials were told to ‘get inside immediately please’
‘The health, safety and wellbeing of our players, staff and tournament personnel is our priority,’ the Association of Tennis Professionals told BBC Sport.
‘Following consultation with local authorities and security advisers, play has been cancelled for the remainder of the day as a precautionary measure.
‘We continue to monitor the situation closely and will provide further updates as appropriate.’
On Monday, the ATP confirmed that the Fujairah Open was safe to go ahead after the governing body held discussions with the local government. It was held behind closed doors and extra security measures were reportedly put in place.
The escalating tensions in the Middle East has also left around 40 players, team members, officials and media stranded in Dubai, though the city has since reopened its airspace and is operating a limited number of flights, prioritising existing bookings.
Among those affected are former world No 1 Daniil Medvedev and compatriot Andrey Rublev, who participated at the Dubai Tennis Championships last week.
‘No one knows when we will be able to take off,’ Medvedev, who won the competition, told Bolshe! on Sunday. ‘That is, it’s not clear whether (airspace closures) will last long or not. Therefore we are just waiting to see, let’s say, what will happen in the next hours and days.’
The pair are scheduled to compete at Indian Wells in California this week, but the ongoing situation has cast doubt over their participation.
Former world number one Daniil Medvedev is currently stranded following the closure of airspaces in Dubai after competing at the Dubai Tennis Championships last week
According to Marca, they are considering travelling via Istanbul, with Turkish airspace still open, or chartering a flight from Riyadh in Saudi Arabia.
Both Medvedev and Rublev currently have their first match of the competition scheduled for this Friday.
The ATP issued a statement on Monday addressing the situation for the first time.
‘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.
The tour remains ‘in direct communication’ with those affected, as well as with tournament organizers, security advisors and local officials.
‘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 safely depart when conditions allow.
‘We will continue to assess developments and provide updates as appropriate.’
