Dubai, UAE  - Israeli Shahar Peer lost her chance to make a political point as the Dubai government denied her a visa to play in the Barclays Championships starting on Sunday.

The 21-year-old ranked 48th, was to have travelled to the Gulf after a semi-final at the weekend in Pattaya, Thailand, and had been drawn to face 15th-seeded Russian Anna Chakvetadze.

But tensions in the Middle East after Israeli's bombing campaign last month of Palestinians in the region ended any hope of a former Israeli soldier being admitted to the moderate Arab emirate.

"We are deeply disappointed by the decision of the UAE denying Shahar Peer a Visa that would permit her to enter the country," said WTA boss Larry Scott in a statement.

"Ms. Peer has earned the right to play in the tournament and it is regrettable that the UAE is denying her this right.

"The WTA Tour believes very strongly, and has a clear rule and policy, that no host country should deny a player the right to compete at a tournament for which she has qualified by ranking."

He added: "The Tour is reviewing appropriate remedies for Ms. Peer and also will review appropriate future actions with regard to the future of the Dubai tournament."

The two-million-dollar event is one of a handful of second-tier Premier level tournaments on the newly revised calendar.

Peer had been hoping to break more ground after managing to get herself into the WTA tournament in Doha in 2008, where she won two rounds. The controversial player has served in the Israeli army, and once stood as high as 15th in the world. dpa