Unlike the Indian Wells tournament, which was cancelled after Covid-19 patients were admitted in Southern California, the Miami Open 2020 is maintaining its schedule in Florida. This decision happens amidst a global trend of cancelling international sports events, including various Olympic qualifying rounds. Despite the spread of the virus, the prevailing view in the sports world is that individuals must take personal responsibility for their safety given the current environment.
As it stands, the 2020 Miami Open will run from March 23rd to April 5th at Florida's Hard Rock Stadium, with more than 30 world-class players set to compete for their countries. While the ATP, ITF, and WTP are weighing the status of upcoming majors like Wimbledon and the French Open, officials emphasize that the financial fallout from such cancellations would be immense. An authority figure mentioned that unless there is a formal directive from a government or health organization to protect staff and the general public, calling off a prestigious event like this is not a simple decision.
James Blake, an organizer for the Miami Open 2020, emphasized that safety remains the primary concern; accordingly, a dedicated team will follow CDC guidelines to provide real-time updates on the pandemic throughout the event. Meanwhile, Tournament Director Tommy Haas is looking into rescheduling several key tennis events, while the Olympic Committee deliberates on the fate of the Tokyo 2020 games. Some athletes are already isolating themselves ahead of the start. For context, the previous year's event drew a massive crowd of 400,000 to the Hard Rock Stadium, with Roger Federer and Ash Barty claiming the men's and women's titles, respectively.
The first week of the 2020 Miami Open will feature qualifying rounds alongside singles and doubles matches for both men and women. The second week will then see the action intensify in Miami Gardens, Florida, as players battle through the quarterfinals and semifinals to reach the finals.