Determined to pull it off, says Tata Open host

The bio-bubble breaches across various sporting events in India has put the Tata Open Maharashtra organiser under pressure, but it is determined to pull off the ATP 250 tournament, whose main draw is set to begin on January 31. “These are tough times, but we will make it happen. We have substantially cut down the workforce,” Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association (MSLTA) secretary Sunder Iyer said on Tuesday. “We won’t have ball kids this time around since they cannot fulfil the condition of double vaccination. We will have ball men instead,” added Iyer, who is also the All India Tennis Association joint-secretary. “The players can’t have food inside the stadium; they have to go back to the hotel. Everyone has to undergo RAT every day. Once someone leaves the bubble, the person won’t be allowed back until he/she returns a negative RT-PCR result. We are doing everything to conduct the tournament smoothly.”