From tennis to cricket: Top athletes trapped after Iran strikes Israel and other Middle East nations

Several international sports personalities have been left stranded in the Middle East after Iran launched missile strikes across the region on Saturday. The attacks came in response to what the United States and Israel described as a "pre-emptive" strike that reportedly killed Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

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Following the assassination, Iran fired missiles targeting Israel and multiple countries in the Middle East, where American bases are located. Explosions were reported in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar and Kuwait. In Dubai, major landmarks like the Fairmont The Palm and the Burj Al Arab were hit.

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Dubai International Airport, known as the world’s busiest airport by passenger traffic, was also struck during the attacks, which eventually resulted in the closure of airspace across the region. This led to several big names from across the sporting world getting stuck and not being able to leave.

Sports stars stranded in Middle East amid war

Among those affected is former world No.1 tennis player Daniil Medvedev. Medvedev had just won the ATP's Dubai Championships and was preparing to travel to the United States for the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. However, he got stuck in his hotel room after flights were grounded.

"The situation is unusual, but basically, the only thing is that the airspace is closed, naturally. So, no one knows when we'll be able to fly out. It's not clear whether this will last long or not. We're just waiting to see what happens in the coming hours or days. They keep gradually pushing back the airport reopening time," he told Bolshe Tennis.

England cricketer Jonny Bairstow is also trapped in Dubai. Bairstow, who is on holiday with his family, took to social media to ask UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer if he could help them return home. He later appealed for any information from people in Dubai and urged everyone to stay safe.

England Test captain Ben Stokes and former all-rounder Andrew Flintoff are currently in Abu Dhabi with the England Lions squad. Their scheduled match against Pakistan Shaheens was cancelled due to the security situation in the region. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is trying to get the players out with the help of the government.

Former Liverpool legend Graeme Souness also shared updates from Abu Dhabi Airport. In a video posted on Instagram, he described hearing loud explosions while waiting to board his flight back to the UK. He said anti-missile systems were intercepting missiles in the area.

Meanwhile, former Olympic medalist PV Sindhu is the biggest Indian name stranded in Dubai at the moment. She described her ordeal as a frightening experience after her coach nearly survived a bomb scare while travelling to the All England Open via the UAE.

Former Bangladesh cricket captain Mushfiqur Rahim is also stuck in the region. He had travelled to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia for a pilgrimage, but got stuck after flights were grounded as a precautionary measure.

“Unfortunately due to the war between USA, ISRAEL AND IRAN all the flight has return to Jeddah and now i am in jeddah airpot including thoushand of passengers…when and how we will able to go to Dhaka along with other Bangladeshi people,” Rahim wrote on his Facebook page.