UAE tennis tournament disrupted as drone attack sparks oil fire

An ATP Challenger tennis tournament in the UAE’s Fujairah was interrupted on Tuesday after drone strikes on nearby oil refineries.

Falling debris from the interception of a drone caused a fire in an oil field located around 15km (nine miles) from the site of the tournament on the men’s second-tier global circuit.

“Play at the ATP Challenger Tour event in Fujairah was suspended today following a security alert,” the ATP said in a statement.

“In line with established security protocols, play was immediately halted and players, officials and staff were directed to designated safe areas.

“The health, safety and wellbeing of our players, staff and tournament personnel is our priority.

“Following consultation with local authorities and security advisors, play has been cancelled for the remainder of the day as a precautionary measure.”

A video on social media shows two players, Belarusian Daniil Ostapenkov and Japan’s Hayato Matsuoka, scrambling for shelter after a public announcement.

Ten matches in the first round of qualifying for the tournament were completed Monday.

“I just finished my match in Fujairah, second round, but the play is suspended for today,” said Ukrainian player Vladyslav Orlov on Instagram.

“When I was playing, I heard the sound of the jets flying here and there. And there is smoke here, next to the mountain, so not very safe here right now.”

The UAE has been targeted by more than 800 drones and 200 missiles since Saturday, according to its Ministry of Defense.

The US and Israel triggered the rapidly spreading war on Saturday with a strike on Tehran that killed supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several more senior Iranian figures, followed by days of air and missile raids aimed at weakening the remaining government.

But Iran’s armed forces responded with missile and drone attacks on Israel, US embassies and military bases and on its Arab neighbours around the Gulf.

On Monday, the International Tennis Federation told AFP that two third-tier men’s tournaments scheduled for later in March in Fujairah had been postponed.