World class tennis will return to California in October after a deal has been struck for Indian Wells to take place for the first time since 2019.
The BNP Paribas Open was originally scheduled to take place in March but got postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic which also forced it to be cancelled altogether last year. Instead, it will be held during October after the US Open which will conclude on September 13th. The exact date of the event is yet to be confirmed as both the ATP and WTA continue to finalise their schedules for the second half of 2021.
“We are ecstatic to have the opportunity to hold the BNP Paribas Open in October, and thankful for the on-going commitment of our title sponsor BNP Paribas in supporting the return of tennis to the desert,” Tournament Director Tommy Haas said in a press release. “We have never wavered in our desire to create an unforgettable experience this fall in Tennis Paradise for our fans, players and sponsors.”
Organizers have said the event will take place according to COVID-19 protocols which are being implemented by both of the Tour’s. Procedures will also be in line with the City of Indian Wells and Riverside County Public Health Department in order to ‘ensure the safety of players, fans and officials.’
ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi has branded the return of the event as ‘great for tennis.’ Although he hints that the scheduling of events later this year will not be an easy task.
“The calendar is extremely complex and I would like to thank all events in that section of the season, as we look to accommodate these changes for the benefit of the overall sport.” He said.
Prior to the pandemic, October normally features indoor tournaments taking place across Asia and Europe. Two of which are the Shanghai Masters and Paris Masters which take place at the start and end of the month. As for the women’s Tour, the Kremlin Cup, Elite Trophy and WTA finals usually occur.
It is currently unclear as to what will happen to the Asian swing this year, but the ATP had already started moving their events around. It has been confirmed that the Stockholm Open, VTB Kremlin Cup and European Open will take place from 7-13 November. The same week as the Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan. Meanwhile, there has been no formal statement from the WTA regarding what their plans are.
Indian Wells is categorised as an ATP 1000 for men and WTA 1000 for women. Dominic Thiem and Bianca Andreescu are the reigning champions.
