British Tennis Forum - Celebrating 20 Years!

Unsurprisingly Felix listed as Withdrawn with travel the reason given.

Stircrazy wrote:

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Much to my surprise, a draw has been posted, I guess because the players in question were already there & are stuck there for the foreseeable future!

L32:  (WC) Zach Stephens WR 998 (CH = 994 last month) vs Yasutaka Uchiyama (JPN) WR 283 (CH = 78 in November 2019)

L32:  Felix Gill WR 300 (= CH) vs (ALT) Max Basing WR 321 (= CH)

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Zach had that really great end to the year but then has not featured since, then pops up here on a wild card. Does anyone know a bit more about him?

According to the BBC event is being held behind closed doors

Medvedev among tennis stars stuck
Dubai Tennis Championships winner Daniil Medvedev is among the tennis players facing a disruption to their schedule.
The Russian's representative said they were trying to establish how Medvedev could travel to California for next week's Indian Wells tournament after the UAE "partially and temporarily" closed its airspace.
Finland's Harri Heliovaara, winner of the men's doubles event alongside Britain's Henry Patten, said his travel plans are "still uncertain".
"All of us players, the finalists and a few other doubles players, are stuck in Dubai. [Plus] all of the ATP staff, the umpires, physiotherapists, coaches and other team and family members - a total of about 30 people," Heliovaara wrote in his blog, external.
He added that the option of leaving by road had been explored, but that would involve either a five-hour drive to Muscat - although bad traffic jams have been reported at the Oman border - or a journey exceeding 10 hours to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The ATP said it remains in direct contact with those affected, with "a small number of players and team members" still in Dubai being accommodated in official tournament hotels "where their immediate needs are being fully supported".
The ATP Challenger Tour event in Fujairah, UAE is going ahead as planned this week, but operating with heightened security measures and taking place behind closed doors as a precautionary step.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/other/holger-rune-s-mom-reveals-the-dane-s-situation-as-the-tennis-star-gets-caught-in-a-war-zone/ar-AA1XjQzq?uxmode=ruby&ocid=edgntpruby&pc=U531&cvid=69a58fe7386c40b29e0407351a4afe85&ei=40

A story about Holger Rune, now stuck in Dubai, and he wasn't even there to play (he's out for most of 2026) 

JonH comes home wrote:

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Coup Droit wrote:

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https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/other/holger-rune-s-mom-reveals-the-dane-s-situation-as-the-tennis-star-gets-caught-in-a-war-zone/ar-AA1XjQzq?uxmode=ruby&ocid=edgntpruby&pc=U531&cvid=69a58fe7386c40b29e0407351a4afe85&ei=40

A story about Holger Rune, now stuck in Dubai, and he wasn't even there to play (he's out for most of 2026) 

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 Yeah, he's in Doha, came to watch the tennis and rehab after it finished. I am not sure anyone going to Muscat is viable tbh, although Iran see's Oman as a neutral state, it is a tough drive. The Muscat airport is a bit ropey as well, nowhere as developed as Dubai or Abu Dhabi or Doha. Having said that, Muscat and Oman are beautiful, the country is the most stunning in the Middle East. Well worth a visit if the falseness of Dubai and UAE/Qatar don't appeal.

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 Hmmm, you may well be right but I might give that a miss, to be honest 

Sheddie wrote:

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JonH comes home wrote

Yeah, he's in Doha, came to watch the tennis and rehab after it finished. I am not sure anyone going to Muscat is viable tbh, although Iran see's Oman as a neutral state, it is a tough drive. The Muscat airport is a bit ropey as well, nowhere as developed as Dubai or Abu Dhabi or Doha. Having said that, Muscat and Oman are beautiful, the country is the most stunning in the Middle East. Well worth a visit if the falseness of Dubai and UAE/Qatar don't appeal.

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 Interesting Jon, what took you to Oman? I've wanted to go for a while, heard good things as well. 

I visited Kuwait a couple of years ago while reporting my book - fascinating place. All the money in the world but you wouldn't know it - all the buildings are quite shabby as they're so battered by the sandstorms and crazy heat

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 work - I was working as a consultant and had Oman Oil as a client. Spent a few weeks on and off over there. Mind you, lost my baggage on the first trip and it took a few days to arrive, I was rather smelly when it did reach my hotel.

Got taken out to some lovely places and driven around the country side - stunning. And the buildings are all low rise, no high rise apartment or business blocks. All white stone, with the hills a lovely red hue - not flat at all. Gorgeous.