Tennis set for early 2021 blow with Indian Wells cancellation ‘imminent’
The 2021 tennis calendar could receive an early blow with Indian Wells reportedly set to cancel for the second year in a row.
Indian Wells was the place the coronavirus crisis got real for tennis, with this year’s tournament the first to be cancelled following a positive test result.
Tennis had been hoping to return to something resembling normality next year, particularly with a spate of vaccines about to hit the population.
However, it appears that may come just too late to save Indian Wells.
“In 2020 [Indian Wells] cancelled (wisely, courageously) on the eve of the event,” respected journalist Jon Wertheim revealed on Twitter.
In 2020 @BNPPARIBASOPEN cancelled (wisely, courageously) on the eve of the event. Announcement of the 2021 cancellation is, I hear, coming imminently, three months in advance….both tours working to adjust schedule and minimize the impact…
— Jon Wertheim (@jon_wertheim) December 6, 2020
“Announcement of the 2021 cancellation is, I hear, coming imminently, three months in advance.
“Both tours working to adjust schedule and minimize the impact.”
Wertheim later conceded that should the Covid vaccine prove successful, Indian Wells may opt for a postponement instead.
“Maybe there’s a postponement play and IW can land-grab some dates later in the year, Pfizer willing.
“[It will] be interesting to see if the Miami Open (in DeSantis Florida; in the same state that will likely host a Super Bowl weeks earlier) follows suit, or breaks serve, as it were.”
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