Daniil Medvedev experienced a series of unusual events this weekend. He had never won the same title twice, a distinguishing oddity of his career, but he finally did so Saturday when he recaptured the ATP 500 title in Dubai, which he last won in 2023, for his 23rd title overall. However, he won the final without playing a single point: His opponent Tallon Griekspoor withdrew before the match with a left hamstring injury suffered late in his semifinal.
Even if the final had been played as planned, it probably wouldn't have enjoyed much of a live audience. There were projectiles overhead: Iran launched drone and missile strikes on the United Arab Emirates and other Gulf states, in retaliation for attacks on Tehran by the United States and Israel earlier that day. The conflict shut down Dubai International Airport, one of the world's busiest, meaning that players and staff in town for the tournament are still stuck there, and airspace was fully closed until Monday morning.
The ATP said in a statement that it is "in direct communication with those affected" and "will continue to provide appropriate support to ensure players and their teams can depart safely when conditions allow." The official hotel of the tournament has accommodated stranded players, tour staff, and journalists. According to the Spanish outlet Marca, the ATP offered two travel options to players looking to leave Dubai and access air travel: a six-hour drive to Oman or a 10-hour drive to Saudi Arabia. (Neither option was selected by any players, and I can't blame them.) Marca also reported that the ATP's chief of security recommended staying in the tournament hotel, which has had beds installed on the basement level in case attacks were to escalate. Some other luxury hotels in Dubai have been struck by debris from intercepted projectiles.
The professional tennis schedule never leaves much time for dawdling. Medvedev needs to hop on a 16-hour flight in order to play Indian Wells this week; a first-round bye pushes his first match to the weekend, buying him slightly more time. In the meantime, he did not sound terribly concerned about his safety in an interview with the Russian outlet Bolshe. Limited flights resumed operating from the Dubai airport Monday afternoon.
Dubai is a common home base for tennis players past and present, like Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic. Many train there in the offseason, and several current players maintain a residence visa there, as the Khaleej Times proudly notes. In that sense, tennis players are like so many other wealthy people who work and play in Dubai, never expecting to be troubled by taxes or the conflicts seen in neighboring states. These attacks from Iran have damaged that expectation, and there was a flurry of news coverage to that effect, often quoting Western expats, tourists, or traveling businesspeople. A hedge fund executive told the Financial Times that his employees had not anticipated "getting exposed to geopolitics when moving to Dubai," but that has now changed. "Dubai’s image as a safe, tax-free haven is rocked by blasts from Iranian airstrikes," read one headline from the Associated Press.
Some other features of the UAE that also could have complicated a person's impression that Dubai was a "haven": widespread abuse of migrant labor, limited freedom of expression, arbitrary imprisonment of government critics, and so on. But yes, for a certain type of financier, influencer, or athlete, Dubai was a perfectly pleasant place to earn a living in a warm climate, and indulge in Salt Bae-style dining and nightlife. As professional tennis further entangles its destiny with the Gulf states—Saudi Arabia has been pumping money into the tour, staging lucrative exhibitions, and will likely debut a 1000-level event in 2028—its leaders are also making a bet that the region remains stable and doesn't intrude on a rich person's gaudy idea of a good time.
