The curious measures to avoid the coronavirus in Indian Wells: own towels, gloves, forbidden to give used clothes to fans …

The tournament of Indian wellsfirst Masters 1,000 of the season, and Premier Mandatory It begins this week and serves as a sample to know if the measures adopted by the ATP and the WTA to curb the contagions by the coronavirus serve as something for the next great events of the season, marked by fear of this epidemic.

The two governing bodies of the circuit have announced security measures that will take effect in this competition that is held in the Calcavecchia Valley. Measures for participants, spectators and tournament workers.

So, there will be 250 disinfection stations and the players will have to carry their own towels, and they will have a chair at the back of the courts so they can place them. Avoid shaking hands with players and touching pets. The ball boys will wear gloves and they will not touch the towels of the players during the games, nor will they handle the drinks of the tennis players.

Players will be instructed not to distribute towels, headbands, shirts, sweatshirts, etc. used to fans after games or training, and they will not accept pens, tennis balls or other objects to sign autographs. In other words, the interaction between tennis players and fans will be significantly reduced.

Gloves will also be worn by restaurant workers and food vendors, and volunteers who check the entrances.

These same sanitary measures will be taken in the following Masters 1,000 in Miami, March 23-April 5, and will apply to all WTA events and ATP Tour and ATP Challenger Tour events through the spring, when a situation review will be conducted.