Indian Wells, California, 04 March (H.S.): Travel chaos from Gulf region airspace closures and flight cancellations—sparked by ongoing Iran conflict—has sidelined Russian tennis aces Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev from Tuesday night's exhibition matches at Indian Wells.
US-Israel airstrikes on Iran prompted widespread aviation shutdowns, disrupting international sports travel and stranding players in the region.
Missed Eisenhower Cup
Former world No. 1 Medvedev, fresh off a Dubai title win via walkover, was slated for the Tie Break Tens doubles event partnering compatriot Mirra Andreeva. Rublev was paired with American Amanda Anisimova for the pre-Indian Wells Open showcase.
Organizers replaced Rublev with American Learner Tien and Medvedev with Kazakhstan's Alexander Bublik. Both Russians (seeded 11th and 17th) remain on track for Friday singles openers.
Wider Ripples
A UAE ATP Challenger tournament was abruptly halted and canceled amid security alerts, forcing players and staff to evacuate courts. The Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) slammed ATP's €5,000 per-person chartered flight costs for evacuations, pledging to cover half while demanding the rest from tour organizers.
This ensures no player chooses between safety and finances, they stated.US star Coco Gauff revealed her coach Gavin McMillan is stuck in the Middle East: He's stranded there now. We just want him safe. Defending champion Jack Draper called the situation extremely worrying, noting he barely escaped Dubai on one of the last flights. Player safety now trumps the international tennis calendar.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
