Just hours after lifting his 23rd career trophy, Daniil Medvedev found himself trading the baseline for a hotel balcony. The 2026 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships concluded on a surreal note this weekend, as a sudden closure of regional airspace left the champion, his family, and, as of late Sunday night, a significant portion of the ATP field stranded in the UAE.
“The situation is unusual, but the only thing that happens is the airspace is closed,” Medvedev told Bolshe Tennis via video from his hotel. Despite the growing geopolitical tension following regional missile strikes, the former World No. 1 remained characteristically stoic. Joined by his wife, Daria, and their two daughters, Medvedev noted that while he is “very emotional on court,” his real-life calm has helped his family navigate the uncertainty.
The Russian star is not alone. Finalist Tallon Griekspoor, semi-finalist Andrey Rublev, and doubles champions Henry Patten and Harri Heliovaara are all currently grounded. Reportedly Karen Khachanov is as well. The timing is particularly brutal as Indian Wells begins main draw action Wednesday, leaving several top seeds in a race against time to reach the California desert.
The draw ceremony at Indian Wells will be held on Monday.
Medvedev and Rublev are scheduled to participate in Tuesday nights, mixed doubles exhibition called the Eisenhower cup.
it’s a race against time for all the players currently on hold, but safety is the most important thing.
In response to the crisis, the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships organizers have moved quickly to prioritize player welfare. A tournament spokesperson confirmed they have extended hosted accommodation protocols for all players, officials, and support staff until at least March 4.
“DDF were kind enough to extend our hotel stay… we are well taken care of,” reported journalist Reem Abulleil from the ground. While the ATP reportedly explored overland escape routes to Oman or Riyadh, the current recommendation from security experts is to remain in the safety of the tournament’s official hotels. For now, those directly affected must wait for the sirens to fade and the runways to clear.
The ATP released a statement on Monday morning, with the situation still not resolved.