2021 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells to be held in October

The 2021 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells was postponed earlier this year due to COVID-19 concerns and coronavirus-related restrictions in California in March. 

However, tournament organizers confirmed Thursday the ATP and WTA events will take place this October. Per Tennis.com, exact dates will likely be finalized around mid-June. 

"Since the resumption of the tour in August 2020, we have had to take an agile approach to the calendar with the aim of staging as many of our events as possible," ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi said in a statement shared by the Associated Press and D'Arcy Maine of ESPN. "Everyone in our sport has missed the BNP Paribas Open over the past two years and its return this October is great for tennis. The calendar is extremely complex and I would like to thank all events in that section of the season, as we look to accommodate these changes for the benefit of the overall sport." 

Exact health and safety guidelines weren't unveiled Thursday, likely because it hasn't yet been determined how many spectators will be permitted and if measures such as social distancing protocols and approved face coverings will be necessary this fall. 

"We understand that the situation is changing daily, and that you may have questions," a statement reads. "And while we don’t promise to have all of the answers all of the time, we will be open and transparent in providing updates about where we’re at and what is being done to ensure fan safety."

The 2020 tournament was scrapped due to the health crisis. Bianca Andreescu and Dominic Thiem remain the reigning singles champions from 2019.