Indian Wells canceled due to the risk of spreading the coronavirus, reactions were not lacking. It is that this decision, not necessarily expected a few days ago, could be the first of a long series in the world of the little yellow ball.
Will the Miami Open, the next big stop on the ATP and WTA circuits, normally take place from March 24 to April 5? And after that? What about Monte Carlo (April 12-19), very close to Italy? From the final FedCup tournament in Budapest (April 14-19)? Then from Rome? From Madrid? Roland-Garros?
“L’Équipe” reports that Julien Benneteau, captain of the French Fed Cup team, entered his Indian Wells hotel on Monday at 6 p.m. local time. He arrived straight from Los Angeles, with Edouard Roger-Vasselin and Benoit Paire. Three quarters of an hour later, the three men learned of the cancellation of the tournament!
And who just arrived in Indian Wells when the tournament is canceled ??????????????
– Julien Benneteau (@julienbenneteau) March 9, 2020
“This is obviously the surprise,” reacted Benneteau in the columns of the French sports daily. And the first questions we ask ourselves are: “What happens next?” We are trying to organize our return, by Tuesday or Wednesday, saying that Miami has a good chance of being canceled … “
Number 2 in the world, the Spanish Rafael Nadal also spoke via Twitter from Indian Wells. “We are here deciding what to do. Too sad to see what’s going on around the world because of this situation. I hope that the authorities will soon find solutions. Stay all healthy and safe. ”
You probably all heard the news. Indian Wells canceled. We are here and still deciding what’s next. So sad for all that is happening around the world with this situation. Hopefully soon solutions from the authorities. Stay all well and safe.
– Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) March 9, 2020
Canadian Denis Shapovalov said he was shaken …
I’m shook ????
– Denis Shapovalov (@denis_shapo) March 9, 2020
… while the American Tenny Sandgren proposed a new form of competition:
I propose to new competition
Location: yardhouse
Event: drink for drink
Rules: last man / woman standing wins
Prize: everything https://t.co/SS2M91Ws8U
– Tennys Sandgren (@TennysSandgren) March 9, 2020
In French in the text: “Place: Yardhouse (note: an American chain of sports bars); Competition: glass on glass; Rules: the last woman or the last man standing wins; Price: anything. “
If there is a player who benefits from this cancellation, it is American Sofia Kenin. Victorious in Lyon on Sunday, she will take advantage of the 865 points that will be deducted from Karolina Pliskova, quarter finalist in the California desert last year, to grab third place in the WTA.
The only player who benefited from the cancellation of Indian Wells today is the American sofia kenin.
After her title in lyon yesterday and the 865 points cut from the total of karolina Pliskova, the champion De # AUS20 became world number 3 in the WTA Ranking. pic.twitter.com/8SPnnE0p6z– Sarrah Bousaab ??????????? (@ SarrahBousaab2) March 9, 2020
In general, the rankings – both ATP and WTA – should be turned upside down if tournament cancellations continue. Still eighth in the women’s ranking published on Monday, Saint-Galloise Belinda Bencic should leave the Top-10, she who had reached the semi-finals at Indian Wells in 2019. She expressed her sadness on her Twitter account:
Update on Indian Wells ???? https://t.co/aBPLIDmmdG
– Belinda Bencic (@BelindaBencic) March 9, 2020
And then, if the cancellations were to multiply, the shortfall for the players would obviously be very important – not all are multi-millionaires. Nicolas Mahut said a little more about this in “The Team”: “I just spoke to people from the player council, all players should receive the prize money from the first round of Indian Wells, explains Nicolas Mahut . For the rest, we have private insurance, but which only covers us in the event of injuries. If the problem persists, it will probably be necessary for ATP to manage to organize something on this subject, even if, obviously, the priority is to find solutions to the health crisis. ”
Tennis, like all other sports, is therefore strongly impacted by the spread of the Covid-19. There is, moreover, no reason why it should have been otherwise. Unfortunately.
R. Ty
Created: 09.03.2020, 15h02
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