Israeli Peer claims victory in Dubai

Shahar Peer, who became the first Israeli woman to compete in the United Arab Emirates when she beat Yanina Wickmayer in the Dubai Open on Monday, says her win was also a victory for keeping politics and sport apart.

Peer was denied a visa to compete in the UAE in 2009, but after a lengthy struggle by the WTA Tour on her behalf, earned the right to compete this year - one year after Israeli man Andy Ram made his pioneering appearance in Dubai.

"I think there should not be any involvement of sport and politics," Peer said after her 3-6 6-2 7-5 win over the world No.15 from Belgium.

"I was not really thinking about the victory that I am here," she said after volunteering that she had had a lot of support around the world after being denied a visa last time.

"But there are a lot of emotions coming on after this win.

"It's more than beating Yanina, it was more of me handling all the stuff around and able to put everything on the side and just play tennis, and do what I like to do, and just concentrate on the (match) and not the politics.

"It was a lot of emotions for me and a really tough first round and I am so happy I was able to win this."

To achieve Monday's win Peer had to travel from the hotel to the venue with a special guard, ignore the lookouts on the top of nearby roofs, and accept unusual scheduling, on an outside court at noon, which had been designed for her safety.

Asked afterwards if it felt like a normal tennis match, despite the security arrangements, she replied: "I mean I started pretty bad.

"I was very frozen and I didn't move. Actually, I twisted my ankle on the second point and I was like 'oh my god, I mean, I don't need this'.

"I thought 'finally I'm here and on the second point I might go home'. But it was a little bit different (from that).

"I really wanted to win this match, not only because of tennis, but because, make a statement that politics and sport should not be involved, you know."

Victory earned Peer a second round encounter with world No.24 Virginie Razzano from France.

If the Israeli did win again, she would almost certainly earn a quarter-final with top-seeded Caroline Wozniacki - and create a dilemma.
Security concerns which put Peer on to an outside court early in the day would conflict with the custom that a tournament promotes itself by scheduling its best players on to its centre court.