DOMINIC THIEM is due to defend his Indian Wells crown in just a matter of days.
The ‘Grand Slam of the West’ Masters 1000 event at Indian Wells kicks off the ‘Sunshine Double’ in the United States, followed by the Miami Open.
However, as the spread of coronavirus threatens to derail the world’s sporting calendar there have been question marks over whether the competition will go ahead.
Will the Indian Wells Masters be cancelled due to coronavirus?
The world of sport has been impacted by the outbreak, with numerous postponements to events across Europe.
Italy have had their Six Nations matches with Ireland and England called off, numerous Serie A matches have been postponed, while the MotoGP season opener in Qatar and Chinese Grand Prix have been shelved.
However, as of Friday March 6, the Indian Wells Masters WILL be going ahead.
The main draw is set to start from Wednesday March 11 for the women and Thursday 12 March for the men, with both finals set to take place on Sunday 22 March.
Indian Wells tournament organisers say they are taking measures to deal with the coronavirus outbreak, which has resulted in the deaths of 11 people in the US so far.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a statewide emergency following similar steps taken by the states of Washington and Florida.
But Indian Wells tournament spokesperson believes the competition will not be affected, saying: “We are closely watching the developments with the coronavirus.
“We remain very positive about this year’s BNP Paribas Open and look forward to welcoming everyone to Indian Wells very soon.
“We are in constant communication with the WTA and ATP Tour, are following the guidelines of Eisenhower Medical Center, the Riverside County Health Department and the CDC, and continuing to monitor the situation.
“We have more than 250 additional hand sanitizers throughout the facility and are proactively working with our staff, volunteers, and vendors to review best health practices and protocool. As always, our absolute top priority is the health and safety of the athletes, fans and everyone involved with the tournament.”
Tour and event officials are considering a temporary ban on ball-kids delivering towels to players between points to help prevent the virus spreading.
