INDIAN WELLS, United States, March 4, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - With top players stranded in the Middle East by war and a tournament scrapped due to falling drone shrapnel, the glamorous globe-trotting world of tennis has not been spared the "brutal" reality of recent events, stars said at Indian Wells on Tuesday. Dozens of international tennis players are gathering this week on the opposite side of the world in the California desert for the prestigious annual men's and women's tournaments that begin Wednesday. British star Jack Draper told reporters in Indian Wells that he had been in Dubai last week and "managed to get away almost probably one of the last flights out." "It's brutal to think about some of that," said American star Ben Shelton, who like many players at Indian Wells has friends "stuck" in the Middle East. Men's world number two Jannik Sinner on Tuesday said he hopes "that everyone is safe and they can come here to play or also to go home."

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha March 04, 2026 02:52 UTC