BREAKING: TENNIS MATCH SUSPENDED AS AIR STRIKE SIREN TRIGGERS PANIC AT FUJAIRAH CHALLENGER
Drone strikes and tennis! Get the full report on the Fujairah evacuation and why top seeds are missing Indian Wells this week.
A tennis tournament in the United Arab Emirates came to a sudden stop when an air strike siren went off. Players and officials sprinted off the court, and the play was suspended right away.
This all happened at the Fujairah Challenger, part of the ATP’s Challenger circuit. The tournament was unfolding in Fujairah, a busy port city on the Gulf of Oman, about 120 kilometres from Dubai and right in the middle of the ongoing conflict in the region.
Japan’s Hayato Matsuoka was battling Daniil Ostapenkov from Belarus. They were deep into the third set when that siren blared. Nobody wasted any time; the players dashed for safety while officials shouted for everyone to clear out. Not long after, word spread about a big fire at the Fujairah Oil Terminal. Apparently, a drone strike had been intercepted.
The ATP put out a statement, saying, 'Play at the ATP Challenger Tour event in Fujairah was suspended today following a security alert.' In line with our security protocols, play stopped immediately, and everyone was sent to safe areas. The health and safety of our players, staff, and tournament personnel come first. After talking with local authorities and security advisors, we’ve cancelled play for the rest of the day as a precaution. We’re watching the situation closely and will share any new updates.”
The Fujairah Challenger started on Monday, March 2, even though air strikes from the US and Israel had just hit Iran over the weekend.
All this chaos in the Middle East, plus airspace closures and grounded flights, has left a lot of players scrambling to get to the next event at Indian Wells, California. Daniil Medvedev, who picked up the Dubai Championships title by walkover on Saturday, and Andrey Rublev are two of the players still stuck in the region.
TENNIS TRIPLE THREAT: ALCARAZ, SINNER, AND SABALENKA HUNT FOR GLOBAL SPORTS' BIGGEST INDIVIDUAL TROPHIES
Laureus 2026 nominees are out: Read why Alcaraz, Sinner, and Sabalenka are favourites to win global sports' most prestigious awards.
The Laureus Sports Awards announced their latest nominees on Tuesday, and tennis really took centre stage this year. Five tennis players landed spots across different categories, with Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner leading the charge as top contenders for World Sportsman of the Year.
These awards are a pretty big deal in the sports world, and tennis stars usually get a lot of love here. Legends like Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Serena Williams have all racked up multiple wins. Other big names, Justine Henin, Naomi Osaka, and Jennifer Capriati, have also claimed trophies in various categories.
This year, Alcaraz and Sinner headline the men’s awards. Both are up for World Sportsman of the Year after smashing through 2025 with two Grand Slam singles titles apiece. Alcaraz grabbed the French Open and US Open, collecting eight ATP titles overall. Sinner wasn’t far behind, winning six titles, including the Australian Open and Wimbledon. Alcaraz didn’t slow down, either. He kicked off 2026 by winning the Australian Open and just kept rolling.
It’s not just about the men, though. Aryna Sabalenka is in the running for World Sportswoman of the Year after a dominant 2025. She spent the entire year as world No. 1 and picked up her fourth Grand Slam singles title at the US Open, plus three more WTA titles. She’s joined on the shortlist by footballer Aitana Bonmati, athletes Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Faith Kipyegon, and swimmer Katie Ledecky.
Amanda Anisimova’s comeback story also got some well-deserved recognition. She’s up for World Comeback of the Year after an incredible season where she made the finals at both the US Open and Wimbledon, scooped up two WTA 1000 titles, broke into the top 20, and finished the year ranked world No. 4. She’s competing with cyclists Egan Bernal and Simon Yates, golfer Rory McIlroy, athlete Yulimar Rojas, and footballer Leah Williamson.
Joao Fonseca is another name to watch. He’s nominated for World Breakthrough of the Year after jumping from outside the top 140 to inside the top 30, winning two ATP titles, and scoring wins at all four Grand Slams.
The shortlists are stacked this year. You’ve got Ousmane Dembele, Mondo Duplantis, Marc Marquez, and Tadej Pogacar in the men’s field. For the breakthrough award, there’s also footballer Desire Doue, basketball player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, darts prodigy Luke Littler, F1 champ Lando Norris, and swimmer Yu Zidi. The competition looks fierce all around.
DANIIL MEDVEDEV STRANDED IN DUBAI; ATP WORKING ON URGENT PLAYER EVACUATION PLAN
Medvedev confirms he is safe at a friend's house while the ATP assesses airline schedules for a safe return to the tour.
Daniil Medvedev, the former US Open champ, says he’s one of just a handful of players and team members the ATP Tour is helping get out of Dubai. Travel is a mess right now because of the growing conflict in the Middle East.
On Monday, Medvedev reposted a report from Bolshe, a Russian tennis outlet, on his Instagram. He let everyone know he’s safe and hanging out at a friend’s apartment in Dubai. He’d just won the ATP event there last week, but after that, flights started getting cancelled left and right.
The ATP put out a statement saying the health, safety, and well-being of their players, staff, and tournament personnel always come first. They confirmed that only a small group of players and team members are still in Dubai after the ATP 500 event wrapped up. The affected players and their teams are staying in the official tournament hotels, and the ATP says they’re making sure everyone’s immediate needs are taken care of.
Medvedev and the others are supposed to play next at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California. Main-draw matches start on Wednesday.
The ATP said they’re in direct contact with everyone involved, along with tournament organisers and security advisors. Right now, they’re still figuring out travel plans based on airline schedules and official guidance. The ATP promises they’ll keep supporting players and teams so they can leave safely as soon as possible.
It’s not just tennis that’s affected. England's and Pakistan’s men’s development cricket teams were also in the UAE over the weekend, but their match got cancelled on Sunday. Youth basketball players ran into travel problems, too, after a EuroLeague tournament in the region was called off.
Lots of other sports events are up in the air. The Asian Champions League football matches and the Qatari league are both on hold for now.
Formula 1’s governing body also said on Monday that “safety and well-being” are its main concerns as they review upcoming races in the region.
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