S. and Israeli strikes by launching attacks on the United Arab Emirates and neighboring countries. S.
and Israeli strikes on Iran, with updates of retaliatory attacks starting to emerge. S. and Israel launching further strikes on Iran.
Tennis has brought us into some strange situations and given us so many memories. I think we can add this one to the list.
Heliovaara was told he couldn't leave the United Arab Emirates. A drone hit the airport that day. Heliovaara and Henry Patten were scheduled to play their final against Croatia's Mate Pavic and Marcelo Arevalo of El Salvador and fully expected the match to be cancelled.
However, Heliovaara, Patten, and singles finalists Daniil Medvedev and Tallon Griekspoor were called into the ATP office and told the matches could still proceed, as local authorities had issued no shelter-in-place order. An ATP spokesperson said in an email that the decision to play the doubles final was in line with guidance from local authorities at the time. Heliovaara acknowledged that everybody is a little greedy, and the players knew that if the final was cancelled, none of them would receive the winners' prize money or ranking points.
It suddenly started to feel very real.
' He added, 'We were walking to the court, and at the same time you could hear this huge roar of fighter planes. It was crazy. And then, during the first set, we heard some explosions.
'' Heliovaara and Patten went on to win the match 7–5, 7–5. After winning, Heliovaara and Patten expected new measures to be put in place, but were simply told to remain in their hotel and seek shelter.