Tennis Tournaments in Türkiye Abruptly Canceled Over Middle East Security Fears

ITF pulls the plug on events in Antalya—including ones already underway—as Iran tensions spark regional alarm

Published: March 5, 2026 | 3 min read

ANTALYA, Türkiye — Players arrived for dinner. They left scrambling for flights home.

Multiple international tennis tournaments scheduled for March in Türkiye’s Mediterranean resort city of Antalya have been abruptly canceled after the International Tennis Federation (ITF) raised security concerns linked to escalating tensions in the Middle East.

The decision wasn’t preventive. It was reactive—and chaotic.

What Was Canceled

The cancellations cover three separate weeks of competition in March, plus tournaments that had already begun on March 2 .

Bulgarian player Julia Stamatova captured the surreal moment everything changed.

“Everything was fine, everyone was in the lobby thinking they’d play the next day,” she said in a video from Antalya. “They were here to book courts, some were just relaxing after dinner.”

Then the message arrived.

“Suddenly we all got a notification that the tournaments were canceled, after which there was great chaos. Everyone gathered in the lobby wanting to know if it was true or not.”

The tournament director was “quite disappointed.” Players scrambled for answers .

The official statement from the Turkish Tennis Federation cited security risks connected to “developments in the Middle East” that could affect international travel and event safety .

But Bulgarian media, citing players on site, reported a more specific fear: Turkish authorities are concerned about potential missile and drone attacks from Iran. The country’s Ministry of Defense has placed air defense systems on full combat alert .

The ITF made the call after consulting with security experts .

Players who had planned their schedules around Antalya are now stranded—literally and competitively.

Bulgaria’s Gergana Topalova described the scramble:

“Last night they told us they were canceling the tournaments for the next few weeks in Antalya because of the current situation. We bought tickets as quickly as possible to get back before something more serious happened.”

Her immediate future is uncertain:

“I still don’t know what my next tournament will be because I had planned to play in Antalya for the next two weeks, and the deadlines for entries for other tournaments in this period have passed. Maybe we’ll hope for a wild card” .

Meanwhile, at Indian Wells…

The chaos in Türkiye isn’t the only travel disruption caused by Middle East tensions.

Russian stars Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev, and Karen Khachanov were stranded in Dubai after the ATP 500 event there, unable to fly directly due to Iran-related airspace closures. They eventually reached Indian Wells via Oman .

Rublev and Khachanov are scheduled to play Friday. Medvedev starts Saturday .

The ITF isn’t taking chances. With air defense systems on alert and players receiving midnight evacuation notices, March tennis in Türkiye is officially dead.

For the players packed into Antalya’s lobby that night, the message was clear: go home. Now.

Davis Cup: Nigeria Set for Another Showdown Against Morocco

Tennis rivals renew hostilities in World Group II tie this September

By Tunde Eludini

Nigeria will face Morocco in the Davis Cup World Group II this September following a commanding victory over Uzbekistan in Lagos, as the country’s tennis team continues its steady rise on the international stage.

The draw, concluded by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) on Thursday, paired Nigeria with the North African side and confirmed Morocco as host of the tie. The two-day event is scheduled for 18–20 September, meaning Team Nigeria will travel to Morocco for the crucial encounter.

The fixture adds fresh intrigue to a growing sporting rivalry between both nations. Only recently, Morocco edged Nigeria on penalties in a high-stakes Africa Cup of Nations semi-final match—a result that still resonates with Nigerian sports fans. Attention now shifts from football to tennis, where Nigeria will hope for a different outcome.

Nigeria secured their place in World Group II with an impressive sweep of Uzbekistan in Lagos. Backed by home supporters, the team delivered confident performances across both singles and doubles rubbers.

The doubles pairing of Canice Abua and Michael Emmanuel defeated Denis Istomin and Khumoyun Sultanov 7–6, 6–4, edging a tense first-set tie-break before taking control in the second.

In singles, 19-year-old Daniel Adeleye beat Sultanov 6–3, 6–4 in a composed display that highlighted his growing maturity on the court. Adeleye, who switched allegiance from Zimbabwe to Nigeria, continues to emerge as one of the country’s brightest tennis prospects.

Progress Beneath the Surface

The victory strengthened Nigeria’s Davis Cup campaign and underscored recent efforts to rebuild the sport domestically. Tennis administrators have pointed to renewed grassroots programmes and increased international exposure for players as key drivers of this upward trajectory.

Nigeria Tennis Federation President Victor Ochei described the win as a significant step for the sport, noting that the team had defied expectations against opponents considered stronger on paper.

“This team has shown character and belief. We are building something sustainable here.”
— Victor Ochei, Nigeria Tennis Federation President

The Road Ahead

Morocco, however, presents a far tougher test. With a stronger tennis pedigree and the advantage of home soil, they will enter the September tie as slight favourites.

For Nigeria, the challenge is clear: translate momentum from Lagos into another statement performance on foreign soil and keep alive hopes of climbing further up the Davis Cup ladder.