A number of ATP players are left stuck in Dubai amid the conflict in the Middle East. But Felix Auger-Aliassime was able to leave the region on Saturday on one of the final flights before the United Arab Emirates closed its airspace.
Felix Auger-Aliassime’s Agent Reveals Status for Indian Wells
After the United States and Israel launched military action against Iran, the country retaliated by attacking a number of US bases in the Middle East, including in Dubai.
Auger-Aliassime, who was beaten by Daniil Medvedev in the semifinals of the Dubai Tennis Championships last week, is all set to compete in Indian Wells this week. His agent told the “Montreal Gazette” that the Canadian had left Dubai before the airspace was shut down.
With the BNP Paribas Open set to begin this week, Auger-Aliassime is already in California. In addition to being one of the seeded players in men’s singles at the ATP 1000 event, he will also team up with compatriot Leylah Fernandez to compete in the Eisenhower Cup.
The Eisenhower Cup is a tie-break tennis event featuring eight mixed doubles teams, with a $200,000 prize for the winning team, taking place on Tuesday. Other players taking part in this event include Iga Świątek, Taylor Fritz, Jessica Pegula, and 2026 Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina.
Auger-Aliassime has enjoyed a strong start to his 2026 season, winning 12 of his 16 matches as of this writing. Things did not go according to plan for the 25-year-old Down Under, where he came away with a 1-1 record at the United Cup and had to retire in the first round of the Australian Open due to severe cramping.
But Auger-Aliassime turned his season around quickly and clinched the title in Montpellier for his ninth title on the ATP Tour. He then continued his strong run of form by making the final in Rotterdam, where he was beaten by Alex de Minaur.
At the Dubai Tennis Championships, Auger-Aliassime managed to overcome his first three assignments. But he was handed a shock defeat by Medvedev, who went on to win the ATP 500 title.
Auger-Aliassime, who is still looking to win his first ATP 1000 title, will be the ninth seed in men’s singles at the BNP Paribas Open. The draw for the event will take place later on Monday, and the first round of the main draw will get underway on Wednesday.
