Explosions could be heard outside of the Dubai hotel.
With the United Arab Emirates coming under attack by Iranian missiles, the players who were there for an ATP Challenger tournament in nearby Fujairah did not expect to take to the court.
To their surprise, they were told it was safe to play in the port city about an hour's drive east of Dubai, home to a key global oil storage and bunkering hub.
"We expected to stay in shelter because that's what the governments were advising," Australian player James McCabe, who was practising on court when he heard explosions and fighter jets overhead, told BBC Sport.