Tennis players at risk amid escalating violence in Mexico
Tennis authorities are facing mounting pressure to evacuate players stranded in Mexico as violent unrest sweeps across the nation following the killing of notorious drug cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho,” reports BritPanorama.
Mexico’s most wanted man died on Sunday after Mexican special forces conducted a military operation in the town of Tapalpa, located in the western state of Jalisco. His death has triggered a wave of retaliatory violence, with cartel members setting vehicles ablaze, erecting roadblocks, and engaging in clashes with security forces across eight Mexican states.
The turmoil coincides with two major professional tennis tournaments taking place in the country this week. British number one Cameron Norrie, 30, is scheduled to compete tonight at the ATP 500 event in Acapulco, where he faces Spanish wildcard Rafael Jodar as the third match on the main court. Fellow Brit Katie Boulter, 29, is meanwhile due to take on Beatriz Haddad Maia at the WTA’s Merida Open, also as the third fixture on court.
Tennis broadcaster Brett Haber, who recently departed Mexico, has called on tour organisers to take immediate action to protect players. He wrote on X: “Just left Mexico. Police activity at the airport was insane. Polite suggestion to the @atptour & @WTA – and to Larry Ellison: get one plane to Acapulco and one to Merida and get everybody out of there – and put them up for an extra week at Indian Wells to train and be safe. This is not a drill.”
The US State Department has issued shelter-in-place warnings for American citizens in Jalisco and Tamaulipas, as well as parts of Michoacan, Guerrero, and Nuevo Leon, citing elevated levels of violence and organised criminal activity. Canadian authorities have also advised their nationals to avoid non-essential travel to numerous Mexican regions.
Main draw action in Acapulco is set to commence at midnight UK time, with Merida’s matches beginning at 8pm tonight. For players amidst the chaos, this week offers both opportunity and an unsettling backdrop, a reminder of just how precarious life can be in the face of unforeseen turmoil.
