Indian Wells was cut down by the coronavirus.
Will the Miami Open withstand the coronavirus outbreak?
More: BNP Paribas Open Cancelled Due to Coronavirus
Hours after the BNP Paribas Open made history as the first major American sporting event to be cancelled out of coronavirus concerns, ATP players and coaches were told the Miami Open plans to play...for now.
"As of this date, ATP Challenger Tour events next week and the Miami Open presented by Itau are planned to go ahead," the ATP announced in an email to players and coaches.
The Miami Open is scheduled to start on March 23rd.
Two days before the first Masters Series event of the season was set to start, organizers cancelled the BNP Paribas Open out of coronavirus concerns.
“There is too great a risk, at this time, to the public health of the Riverside County area in holding a large gathering of this size,” said Dr. David Agus, Professor of Medicine and Biomedical Engineering at the University of Southern California.
“It is not in the public interest of fans, players and neighboring areas for this tournament to proceed. We all have to join together to protect the community from the coronavirus outbreak.”
Indian Wells' cancellation prompted speculation officials will close the curtain on the entire Sunshine Double as Florida has more coronavirus cases than the Coachella Valley home of the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
In Miami, the city’s popular Ultra Music Festival has already been postponed—possibly for a full year.
Officials expressed concerns over the spread of COVID-19 at Miami’s marquee electronic dance music festival staged over three days at the city’s Bayfront Park. Miami Mayor Francis Suarez said residents requested the city consider cancelling or postponing the festival over fear of coronavirus outbreak.
IMG owns the Miami Open and moved it to the Hard Rock Stadium home of the Miami Dolphins last March.
It's possible either IMG or Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross could pull the plug on the tournament though the ATP says for now the plan is to play on.
Photo credit: Miami Open Facebook