Fallout from the coronavirus, a global epidemic that has already claimed over 3,000 lives, continued Sunday with event organizers postponing this year’s BNP Paribas Open, which was scheduled to get underway Monday in Indian Wells, California.
“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 is of paramount importance,” BNP Paribas Open Director Tommy Haas relayed in a statement posted to the tournament’s official website. “We are prepared to hold the tournament on another date and will explore options.”
Annually one of the largest tennis events held in the United States, many of the sport’s most recognized names including juggernauts Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer—both five-time champions—had been slated to appear at this year’s installment of the BNP Paribas Open. The tournament’s postponement was prompted by a confirmed case of COVID-19 in the Coachella Valley, which led local officials to declare a public health emergency for Riverside County.
The BNP Paribas Open is just the latest domino to fall with concerns over the coronavirus increasingly shaping our national dialogue. Virtually all professional sports leagues have adopted preventative measures including MLB, which has told players to refrain from signing autographs. Similarly, NBA players have been instructed not to make physical contact with fans—that means no handshakes or high-fives—while the NHL has temporarily cut off locker-room access to the media.
The outbreak of coronavirus has had wide-reaching consequences with no end in sight. South by Southwest in Austin, Texas—one of the largest entertainment gatherings in the country each year—will not be held while the global economy continues to plummet amid fears of the virus spreading. While China and Italy have been the most affected by the illness, the death toll has risen to 22 in the United States with over 500 cases reported on American soil.
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