The son of former Wimbledon champion Lleyton Hewitt remains stranded in the Middle East amid the ongoing chaos in the region. It comes after US-Israeli airstrikes on Iran over the weekend, with the Middle Eastern nation having launched its own attacks on nearby Gulf states.

They include the United Arab Emirates, with strategic locations having been struck in the capital, Abu Dhabi, as well as popular tourist spots in nearby Dubai. Alongside locals, expats, and holiday makers, there have also been plenty of athletes caught up in the carnage, with tennis appearing to be one of the worst-affected sports.

The strikes came just after the conclusion of the Dubai Tennis Championships, meaning several big-name stars, such as Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev, were left stranded in the country. It didn’t stop organisers from deciding to push ahead with plans for the Fujairah Open – an ATP Challenger Tour event – to go ahead though.

However, that was also impacted by the ongoing violence on Tuesday when a match between Hayato Matsuoka and Daniil Ostapenkov was forced to stop after a fire broke out at a nearby oil industry zone. The blaze was caused by debris from an interception of a drone near the Port of Fujairah, with sirens having been heard over the Matsuoka vs Ostapenkov broadcast.

The tournament has since been cancelled because of the conflict, leaving Cruz Hewitt and the rest of the competitors stuck in the UAE. Cruz, whose dad won the 2002 Wimbledon singles title, had been competing in Fujairah when the situation took a turn for the worse.

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A statement from the ATP read: “Following ongoing security concerns in the region, ⁠the ATP Challenger Tour events scheduled in Fujairah this week and next week (Fujairah 2) have been cancelled.

“The safety and well-being of our players and tournament personnel is our highest priority. Players remain on site and are being fully supported, with accommodation and all immediate needs covered while onward travel arrangements are explored.”

The ATP had been heavily criticised for allowing the tournament to go ahead in what is essentially now an active warzone. A statement from the Professional Tennis Players Association read: “The Professional Tennis Players Association has been deeply concerned by the decision to proceed with tournament play in Fujairah despite ongoing security concerns. Players were asked to compete under difficult and uncertain circumstances.

“Now, in the aftermath of cancelling the tournament, the ATP is offering players the option of a charter flight at 5,000 euros per person, to be paid out of pocket, so they can leave the country. We believe it is inappropriate for players to bear additional financial burdens resulting from circumstances beyond their control.”