ATP Chairman Andrea Gaudenzi says that it is business as usual on the ATP tour despite the coronavirus scare.  Although Indian Wells has been canceled, it appears that all other tournaments will proceed as planned.  Things can always change, but this is ATP’s position today.

Gaudenzi, in a statement, said, “While we regret that the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells will not take place, the ATP Tour calendar beyond Indian Wells remains as status quo. We continue to monitor the situation daily, working closely with our player and tournament members with the understanding that direction must be taken from local public health authorities. We are committed to exploring all options for the operation of upcoming tournaments as the health and safety of our players and all other stakeholders remain our top priority. Any further updates will be communicated on ATP platforms.”

Whether this means tournaments will proceed without fans is not clear.  It’s going to be a disaster to hold a tournament that fans can’t attend.

ATP has economic reasons for maintaining the status quo in the face of the coronavirus epidemic.  In addition, there does not appear to be much precedent in awarding ranking points fairly to players if a tournament is canceled.

The BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells has been canceled due to concerns about the coronavirus outbreak.

The organizers said, “The 2020 BNP Paribas Open will not take place at this time due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus and the safety of the participants and attendees at the event. This is following the guidance of medical professionals, the Centres for Disease Control (CDC), and State of California.”

Tommy Haas, the tournament director said, “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. We are prepared to hold the tournament on another date and will explore options.”

The cancellation comes after health officials revealed that Riverside County, where the tournament is held,  revealed its first case of the coronavirus.

California Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency in the state. California has reported 114 cases of the coronavirus.

This cancelation may be the beginning of many to come. The ATP and the WTA have a number of tournaments in Europe and China that are likely to be canceled or postponed, throwing the tennis calendar into chaos.

Jamie Murray expressed concern about the upcoming tournaments.

Rafael Nadal also expressed disappointment over the cancellation.