**Israeli Shahar Peer made it to the last four of the Dubai Championships on Thursday, raising questions around the tournament’s security provisions.**The 22-year-old, who led Ni La 7-5 3-0 when the Chinese player retired, is the first Israeli woman ever to compete in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Peer has played all her matches this week on limited-access outside courts.
But she could next face top seed Venus Williams in a high-profile semi-final on the 5,000-capacity Centre Court.
Williams takes on Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the last of the quarter-finals later on Thursday.
“We have to take it day by day,” said tournament referee Alan Mills.
“I’m doing what I’ve been told and wherever I need to play, I’ll play on”
Shahar Peer
"The tournament has said that security is paramount, and it is the security and police who dictate what happens, so we will have to wait and see.
“We have already said, if she gets to the final, where are 5,000 people going to sit It’s something that they have obviously got in hand.”
Last year, the Dubai tournament was fined a record US$300,000 (£207,000) and threatened with removal from the women’s tennis calendar after Peer was refused entry to the UAE.
Tournament officials had said they feared a threat to the player’s safety because of public opinion on the Gaza conflict.
And the 22-year-old’s surprise run to the semi-finals of the prestigious tournament this year comes amid the political fall-out from last month’s assassination of a Hamas commander, with Dubai’s police chief saying he is 99% sure of Israeli involvement.
Spectators at Peer’s quarter-final match on Thursday had to pass through metal detectors and press photographers were kept from their courtside positions on the Stadium Court.
And Peer might yet play her semi-final on an outside court in front of around 1,000 spectators, no matter who she plays.
“I’m the only player that hasn’t played on centre court,” she said.
"But whatever will be, will be. I’m not controlling it. I’m doing what I’ve been told and wherever I need to play, I’ll play on.
“I’m not involved in the schedule. I’m just getting the schedule after my coach is telling me when I’m playing on which court, and I’m getting ready for the match.”