Age-group tennis events to return with cautious steps in India

The Indian tennis circuit resumes after a hiatus of eight months as a number of states kick off the All India Tennis Association (AITA) home tournaments throughout age teams from Monday. Tennis would be the second sport to make a aggressive return within the nation after the I-League second division qualifiers had been held final month.

Eight cities—Delhi, Gurugram, Sonipat, Indore, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chandigarh and Raipur—will maintain tournaments regionally. Other states and cities will observe go well with relying on the supply of courts and the state of affairs surrounding the Covid-19 pandemic. “In all, about 40 tournaments are lined up from November 16 to December 31,” AITA secretary-general Anil Dhupar stated on Sunday.

While males’s and ladies’s matches will span seven days, the expertise and championship sequence for U-12, U-14 and U-16 gamers will likely be for simply three days. There will likely be no doubles competitions and it will likely be a draw of 32 in singles. Inter-state journey for tournaments will likely be not allowed. Inter-district journey is topic to state-specific guidelines. “We don’t want players and children to travel a lot because we’re still in the pandemic,” Dhupar stated.

While the I-League qualifiers—as would be the case with the Indian Super League beginning this week—had been held in a managed atmosphere, tennis is not going to have a bio-bubble, which has turn out to be the norm for restarting sporting actions all over the world. AITA although has shaped elaborate protocols and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for all state models.

Participants, coaches, workers and officers will endure thermal checks earlier than coming into the venue or membership, and anybody displaying even gentle signs of Covid-19 will likely be prevented. Players can solely contact their racquets and towels, and balls allotted to a selected court docket for that match or apply session. Change of ends is permitted however gamers should use reverse sides of the online to take action. Showers and locker rooms will likely be out of bounds, and gamers should go away the venue instantly after play.

To keep away from crowding, dad and mom accompanying the youngsters to the venue for matches is not going to be permitted to take a seat contained in the court docket. “We have informed everyone concerned to not permit parents to sit around the courts; they can wait outside the area. They will have to wear masks, maintain social distancing and follow the sanitisation process set in that venue. Apart from our SOPs, a lot of things are being done for safety depending on the area or club in which specific tournaments will be held,” Dhupar stated.

Dhupar, who took over as AITA secretary-general solely two months in the past, stated it is going to assess how tournaments pan out within the first week earlier than tweaking some laws if required.

“We’re only trying to provide players who have been without tennis since March an opportunity to go to the courts now. We feel it’s not the time to start full-fledged tournaments; that will follow in due course. This is just to get started with some competitive tennis.”

Key SOP and protocols

* No doubles; solely singles matches with draw dimension of 32.

* Inter-state journey for gamers just isn’t permitted.

* Compulsory thermal screening: anybody displaying signs to be denied entry.

* Players to deal with personal racquets, towels and balls allotted to the court docket.

* Use of showers and locker rooms is prohibited.

* Arrive as near play as doable; go away instantly after play.

* Avoid handshakes, high-fives or any type of bodily contact on court docket.

* Wear masks every time off court docket.