LONDON — Former U.S. Open tennis champion Daniil Medvedev has indicated he is among what the ATP Tour described as a “small number of players and team members” seeking to help pull out of Dubai as the Middle East war sparks widespread travel bans.
Medvedev’s Instagram account on Monday reposted a report from Russian-language tennis outlet Borsche that said he was safe and staying at a friend’s apartment in Dubai while his flight was canceled after winning last week’s ATP tournament.
“The health, safety and well-being of our players, staff and tournament officials is our top 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,” the ATP Tour said in a statement on Monday.
“They and their teams are staying at the tournament’s official hotels and their immediate needs are fully supported.”
Medvedev and others are scheduled to compete in the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California, with main draw matches starting on Wednesday.
“We are in direct contact with those affected, as well as tournament organizers and security advisors,” ATP said. “At this stage, travel assessments will continue to be assessed in line with airline operations and official guidance. We will continue to provide appropriate support to ensure the safe departure of athletes and their teams when conditions permit.”
As well as tennis players, cricketers from England and Pakistan’s men’s development teams also visited the United Arab Emirates over the weekend ahead of Sunday’s canceled match.
Youth basketball players also faced travel issues after the EuroLeague tournament was canceled over the weekend.
Many sporting events in the region have been canceled, including soccer’s Asian Champions League and Qatar League. The governing body that oversees Formula 1 said on Monday it would focus on “safety and health” when considering future races in the region.
