...an opportunity to make tennis stronger Stadiums like this at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden were empty this March as the tournament was cancelled just 3 days before the tournament began.
A NEW OPPONENT
How COVID-19 Impacted Professional Tennis By Joey Hanf Sunday, March 8th feels like an eternity ago. It’s only been a few months, but so much has changed in the world, in tennis, and in my life since that day. I arrived at LAX airport and drove with my colleagues into the Coachella Valley in preparation for another great Indian Wells trip. It’s always my favorite week of the year, as I’m able to teach tennis in the morning before heading over to the tournament and enjoying the action. Scheduled to start on Monday, the BNP Paribas Open had already announced that it would be be offering refunds to all fans who wanted one. COVID-19 had slowly began making an impact in the United States, but no major sporting events had been cancelled. Nearly every player had arrived in Indian Wells, practicing and enjoying the great spring weather in the desert.
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After a busy day of prepping for one of our company’s biggest events, Tennis With The Stars, I stopped by the Indian Wells Tennis Garden to grab my credential. Things were a little quiet, but nothing out of the ordinary. As we drove back to our rental house for the week, I saw a media announcement email from the tournament. An email at 6pm on Sunday? There’s no way this was going to be good news. The tournament was officially cancelled, which was just the first of many hard hits that COVID-19 has had on professional tennis. It left almost everyone stunned and unsure of what was next. “The overall vibe is pretty weird,” said Belinda Bencic, a top 10 WTA player. “Obviously before the tournament, you’re really nervous and excited and you kind of can’t wait to start. And now, this excitement kind of fell down and everyone is too relaxed, I would say.”
EXPERIENCE Magazine | www.ExperienceCDT.com
