Scary footage captured the moment players and officials were forced to flee the court during a tournament in the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday.
The ATP Challenger Tour event in Fujairah has been canceled as a result of the ongoing retaliatory air strikes from Iranian forces.
Aussies Cruz Hewitt, James McCabe and Jason Kubler are among the players caught up in the chaos, with tennis officials still seeking a solution to evacuate players ahead of the Indian Wells tennis tournament in California.
Hewitt, the son of Australian legend Lleyton Hewitt, and Kubler were due to play doubles on Tuesday.
However, the tournament has been called off as a result of the ongoing conflict, which has seen UAE locations come under fire from missiles and drones.
Next week’s tournament in Fujairah has also been canceled.
The scary situation for players at the Fujairah Open was captured on camera when players rushed off the court in the middle of a match because of a nearby explosion.
One match between Daniil Ostapenkov and Matsuoka Hayato was abruptly ended following a nearby incident.
An alarm was triggered at the Tennis Country Club Fujairah when a drone was intercepted near the port city.
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Falling debris resulted in a fire in the oil industry area, The Sun reports.
In response to the shock incident, the Fujairah Media Office stated: “Relevant authorities in the Emirate of Fujairah responded to a fire that broke out this morning in the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone (FOIZ), resulting from falling debris following the successful interception of a drone by air defence systems.
“No injuries were reported, the fire was brought under control, and normal operations in the area have resumed.”
It follows the conclusion of the Dubai Tennis Championships on Saturday.
While that tournament was not directly disrupted by the strikes, multiple players now find themselves stranded in the area.
Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev are among the stars who have been forced to stay in Dubai following the grounding of outbound flights.
Earlier, a clip shared by Aussie McCabe captured the moment a loud explosion could be heard while he was resting in a hotel pool.
A Tennis Australia spokesperson on Tuesday said all the Australian players are safe.
“Tennis Australia is in close communication with the Australian players and their support teams currently in the United Arab Emirates,” a statement said.
“We have provided guidance based on information from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and the ATP which is working with local authorities on the ground.
“Most importantly, all Australian players and team members are safe and well.
“They are following the advice of local authorities, the Australian Government, and the ATP.”
