A major sporting crisis in the Middle East was averted last night when the Government of the United Arab Emirates announced that it would allow Israel's Andy Ram to play in next week's Dubai Championships.
After widespread condemnation of the refusal to grant a visa to another Israeli,Shahar Peer, for the women's tournament, the UAE's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said its decision to admit Ram was "in line with the UAE's commitment to a policy of permitting any individual to take part in international sports, cultural and economic events or activities being held in the country".
The statement did not explain why Peer's application had been declined. It said the decision to admit Ram, a leading doubles player, "has no political implications" and did not indicate "any form of normalisation of relations with countries with whom the United Arab Emirates does not have diplomatic relations".
Earlier in the week tournament organisers said Peer had been excluded for security reasons because of the possibility of protests after Israel's offensive in Gaza.
Although Ram will be in Dubai next week, Rafael Nadal will not. The world No 1 has withdrawn because of a knee injury, though he expects to be fit to play in the Davis Cup in a fortnight.
With Roger Federer also absent, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray will be the top two seeds.
Serena Williams maintained her fine start to the year by beating Ana Ivanovic 6-4, 6-4 in the quarter-finals. She now meets her sister, Venus, who beat Elena Dementieva, the Olympic champion, 6-3, 6-3.
In the other semifinal, France's Virginie Razzano will play the Estonian Kaia Kanepi.
