Indian Wells tennis cancelled over virus fears

LOS ANGELES: 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 three days before it was due to begin. Officials said in a news release on Sunday that they 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 COVID-19 locally.

No further details of the case were given. Days earlier, organizers had said they planned to go ahead with extra health measures in place such as hand sanitizing 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 bought tickets but did not want to attend.