Tennis news: Daniil Medvedev forced to pull out as ATP statement released

Martina Navratilova is convinced that rival players have figured out how to beat Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff, having identified their weak spots. Both players have endured shaky starts to the 2026 season by their own high standards. Swiatek has lost four of her 13 matches since the turn of the year and was dumped out of the Australian Open in the quarter-finals.

Gauff, meanwhile, has lost four of her 14 matches in 2026 and was also beaten in the last eight in Melbourne. She then lost her opening match at the Qatar Open before being knocked out of the Dubai Tennis Championships in the semi-finals. Assessing the struggles of both players, Navratilova suggested their rivals had finally figured out how to get the better of them.

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Daniil Medvedev has finally managed to escape from Dubai and will be able to play at the Indian Wells Masters. There were initially concerns that Medvedev and other players would be forced to withdraw from the tournament because they were stuck in the Middle East. They had been playing at the Dubai Tennis Championships when the United States and Israel launched a combined assault on Iran, prompting the Iranian military to retaliate by striking American bases across the Middle East.

Several neighbouring regions, including Dubai, were hit by Iranian strikes which led to the closure of airspaces throughout the Middle East. As a result, Medvedev and several other players were left stuck in the region with no means of leaving. The ATP discussed alternative travel options, including a six-hour drive to Oman and a ten-hour drive to the Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh.

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A worried tennis player admitted it's "not very safe here right now" after the Fujairah Challenger, a tournament held in the United Arab Emirates, was suspended for the day due to an Iranian drone attack nearby. Iran targeted an oil terminal at the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone on Tuesday just six miles (10km) away from the tournament.

A fire broke out at the facility after jets intercepted a drone attack and debris fell and hit a fuel tank in the refinery area. The blaze is under control and no injuries were reported. Normal operations in the area have also resumed. But tennis players and officials at the ATP Challenger event were forced to flee in search of shelter after a nearby explosion triggered air-raid sirens. Play was suspended at the Fujairah Tennis and Country Club for the remainder of the day.

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The ATP have confirmed that play at the ATP Challenger Tour event in Fujairah was suspended today following a security alert earlier today.

The match between Hayato Matsuoka and Daniil Ostapenkov was suspended during the third set following the sound of the warning siren.

The Fujairah Challenger began on Monday 2 March, despite the eruption of air strikes from the United States and Israel against Iran over the weekend.

And in a statement to The Independent, the ATP confirmed: “Play at the ATP Challenger Tour event in Fujairah was suspended today following a security alert.

“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.

“We continue to monitor the situation closely and will provide further updates as appropriate.”

Away from Indian Wells, Tim Henman has backed the idea of padel courts at Wimbledon. The Lawn Tennis Association became the national governing body for padel in 2020, and Henman sees no reason why Wimbledon should not also buy into the craze.

He said: “In my opinion, for the community, across the road with that space, there definitely could be an opportunity.

“Why not? I think padel’s a great game. I love it, it’s expanding fast and it’s a game that can be played by everyone. I think it’s a lot easier than tennis. Only time will tell.

“The main site is a bit restricted but, when you talk about the area of land that you’ve got across the road and trying to do things for the community, if that’s what they want, then why wouldn’t you?”

Taylor Fritz claimed Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic received preferential treatment over the weekend.

“But also you’re separated in the draw, so at the same time, Carlos and Jannik are going to be split, so on one day, Carlos is going to get his pick, on this next day, Jannik will get his.”

Fritz, who has only played alongside Alcaraz, Sinner and Djokovic at this year’s Australian Open, received a backlash for his comments.

But responding to the backlash on social media, the 28-year-old American claimed he wasn’t complaining but rather just explaining how things work.

He said: “You dumb? How can anyone watch this and think I’m complaining? I’m answering a question about the scheduling, priority players have earned the right to request and most of the time play in the slots they want, that’s how it is and nothing is wrong with that.”

Before adding: “I’m not sure why you are acting like I am complaining about this? I got asked about how this stuff works by a fan on my stream and answered accordingly.

“The better and more decorated players will usually have more say in when they play, as they should, they have earned that right.

“Me getting on stream and thoughtfully answering questions for fans isn’t something I am doing for me, but for the fans that support me enough to want to come in and ask me questions live. If people want to misinterpret and turn the things I say against me and turn it into unwarranted hate towards me then maybe it’s not worth it.”

Holger Rune’s mother has given an update on the Danish star’s situation in Qatar.

Rune is one of a number of tennis stars who have been caught up in the conflict in the Middle East.

According to Danish outlet TV2 Sport, Rune and his team had been due to leave Doha on a flight to Los Angeles on Sunday morning, but they remain stuck in Qatar's capital.

And speaking to TV2 Sport, Aneke Rune, who is also the Dane’s mother, said: “It’s been a wild night. We didn’t get much sleep.

“It all seems more brutal at night with the fireballs in the sky and repeated explosions.

“We spent a lot of time at the reception, and they are super sweet, so in the end we went to our rooms and slept.

“But Holger was really scared last night. There’s a lot of brutal news and pictures of attacks all around us.

“Our flight is, of course, cancelled, and we now have no idea when we can get out. We have to try to go shopping and stock up.”

Before she continued: “I know that the election campaign has started at home, but it is quite sad that there is absolutely no response from Denmark to citizens trapped in the Middle East.

“I can see on X that the UK and other countries have a special number that their citizens can call for advice and guidance, which was communicated via Qatar Airways.

“We are on the famous Dane list, but we have not heard anything. We know that there are huge traffic jams in Oman to get out of their airport, which is the only place where flights depart from the Middle East at the time of writing.

“But since there have been continued attacks this morning, and missile debris is falling from the sky, it is not exactly 12-15 hours in traffic jams that you want to be trapped in.”

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