Indian Wells tennis returns to California desert in October

The BNP Paribas Open is returning to the Southern California desert this fall after being knocked out of its usual March dates this year and last because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The two-week tennis tournament featuring the men’s and women’s pro tours will be held in October at Indian Wells Tennis Garden. Tournament director Tommy Haas said Thursday that dates will be announced after the ATP and WTA tours confirm their fall schedules.

The event was halted last year after a case of COVID-19 was confirmed in the Coachella Valley and after many players were already in the desert practicing.

The tournament typically draws upwards of 450,000 fans to Indian Wells, located 110 miles east of Los Angeles. It is referred to as the “fifth slam” because of its popularity among the players and its stature, ranking points and over $17 million in prize money that place it one rung below tennis’ four Grand Slam tournaments.

Dominic Thiem won the men's title and Bianca Andreescu was the women's champion when the event was last played in March 2019.

Organizers had said in 2020 that they were prepared to play the event on different dates, but it never happened. The pro tennis calendar is tightly scheduled and the summer months in the desert are notoriously hot. October is not much cooler. The average temperature in Indian Wells that month is 91 degrees Fahrenheit (33 Celsius).

Tournament officials said health and safety protocols established by the pro tours, as well as the city of Indian Wells and the Riverside County Health Department, will be enforced.

Tickets are expected to go on sale June 21.

___

More AP Tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports