Stranded in Dubai Amid Escalating Tensions
INDIAN WELLS, Calif. — Harri Heliövaara found himself unexpectedly changing his children’s car seats in sweltering 86-degree heat while trying to cross the border from the United Arab Emirates into Oman. This was far from how he anticipated his experience at the Dubai Tennis Championships to unfold.
Unexpected Alerts and Explosive Background
He was awakened at 2 a.m. by emergency alerts about incoming missiles and was taken aback when informed he couldn’t leave the UAE. Nothing could prepare him for walking onto the court for an ATP Tour final amid distant explosions.
A Challenging Experience
At 36, Heliövaara is a two-time Grand Slam doubles champion and one of many players stranded in Dubai after Iran retaliated against U.S. and Israeli strikes by launching its own attacks on the UAE and neighboring regions. Although he and British partner Henry Patten won the men’s doubles event, the chaotic five days of trying to leave turned out to be the most trying period of his career.
Tense Situation and Emergency Alerts
On Saturday, Heliövaara initially went about his day normally, playing with his children when alarm bells rang about attacks. Soon, he heard explosions and fighter jets overhead. “It suddenly felt very real,” he reflected in a phone call from Finland.
The Final Goes On
As local authorities didn’t order a shelter-in-place, Heliövaara and Patten were surprised to be told their match could proceed against Croatia’s Mate Pavić and Marcelo Arévalo. Initial expectations of cancellation led them to delay warm-ups, but eventually decided to play for fear they would miss out on prize money and ranking points.
Escaping the Chaos
The duo won 7-5, 7-5, and soon found themselves back in uncertainty, instructed to remain in their hotel. After a long night of anxiety—heightened by missile alerts—Heliövaara and his family endured a convoluted escape attempt from Dubai. A series of vehicle and documentation issues made their crossing to Oman a stressful ordeal.
A Sigh of Relief
Eventually, they managed to secure flights to Milan, where they found themselves in a surprisingly normal airport atmosphere. The emotional relief was palpable when their flight took off, signaling an end to the chaos they had faced. Heliövaara emphasized returning home as bittersweet, as he sought respite from the stress of the previous days. Now in Helsinki, he appreciated the contrast of normalcy after such an ordeal.
