Tennis players including Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev have left Dubai following airspace closures caused by regional tensions. The ATP Tour has funded evacuation efforts for those affected, including cancellations of events in Fujairah. While most have departed, some like Harri Heliövaara remain waiting.
The United Arab Emirates closed its airspace on Saturday, March 1, 2026, after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran prompted retaliatory attacks on American bases in the region, including sites in the UAE. This left around 40 ATP players, staff, and officials stranded in Dubai following the conclusion of the ATP 500 Dubai Tennis Championships. Among them were former U.S. Open champion Daniil Medvedev, world No. 17 Andrey Rublev, and Karen Khachanov, who faced uncertainty about reaching the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California.
The players drove six hours from Dubai to Oman amid heavy border traffic, then boarded a special flight from Muscat to Istanbul, departing around 4 p.m. local time after delays. The journey to Istanbul lasted about six and a half hours. Rublev's mother, Marina Maryenko, confirmed the details, noting, “They weren’t allowed to take off for a long time.” The ATP announced on Wednesday that the vast majority of those in Dubai had successfully departed on selected flights.
Finnish player Harri Heliövaara, a 36-year-old father of two, remains in Dubai and shared in his blog that private jet options cost tens of thousands of euros. He added, “We are calmly waiting for other opportunities, which hopefully will appear soon with the tournament and the help of the ATP.”
Separately, the ATP cancelled two Challenger Tour events in Fujairah after an explosion on Tuesday, when UAE forces intercepted a drone attack, sending shrapnel to an oil terminal eight miles from the venue. Matches were interrupted, with players evacuating mid-play. The ATP initially proposed a €5,000 ($5,800) charter flight from Muscat but reversed course amid criticism from players like Ilya Ivashka and Marat Sharipov. It now fully funds the charter, accommodation, and essentials at no cost. Ivashka praised the move on Instagram: “Everything completely covered. Class act @atptour.”
Former player John Isner urged caution, saying on the Nothing Major Show podcast, “This is tough, unprecedented. We haven’t seen anything like this one.” The ATP emphasized, “The safety and wellbeing of our players, support teams and staff members remains our highest priority.”
