Indian Wells cancels tennis tournament over coronavirus fears

The ATP and WTA tennis tournament in Indian Wells, California, has been cancelled over concerns about the outbreak of the new coronavirus, making it the first major sporting event in the US to be scrubbed due to health concerns.

The tournament, one of the biggest outside the four Grand Slams, was cancelled just days before it was due to begin.

Officials said that they had opted to cancel after the health department of California’s Riverside County declared a public health emergency for the Coachella Valley — in the desert east of Los Angeles — after a confirmed case of Covid19 locally.

No further details of the case were given.

Days earlier, organisers had said they planned to go ahead with extra health measures in place such as hand sanitising stations, beefed up cleaning protocols and gloves for ball kids, volunteers and food workers.

The ATP and WTA had also issued virus-related guidelines, telling players not to accept items from fans to be autographed.

Even before the cancellation the tournament, which draws more than 400,000 fans each year, had offered refunds to anyone who had bought tickets but did not want to attend.

Many of the players have already arrived in Indian Wells for the event.

Qualifying matches were scheduled to start yesterday and the main draw was set to kick off tomorrow.

“We are very disappointed that the tournament will not take place, but the health and safety of the local community, fans, players, volunteers, sponsors, employees, vendors, and everyone involved with the event are of paramount importance,” tournament director Tommy Haas said.

“We are prepared to hold the tournament on another date and will explore options,” Haas added.

The number of US coronavirus cases is now at more than 500 and involves about 30 states.

California officials are also battling to contain an outbreak on a cruise ship off the coast, where 21 people have tested positive for the virus among the 3,500 people on board.

“There is too great a risk, at this time, to the public health of the Riverside County area in holding a large gathering of this size,” Dr David Agus, professor of medicine and biomedical engineering at the University of Southern California, said. —