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Tennis in Spain to bar fans from all tournaments

Tennis tournaments at all levels in Spain will be held behind closed doors "until further notice" to try to stop the spread of coronavirus, the Spanish Tennis Federation (RFET) said on Wednesday.

The RFET said in a statement that the Ministry of Culture and Sport "has urged Spanish sports federations to hold all competitions and sporting events, both professional and amateur, behind closed doors."

The RFET said it has told clubs and organisers that "all tennis tournaments scheduled in the immediate future will be played without an audience until further notice."

The aim is to "prioritise the health and safety of all participants," the statement adds.

The measure could affect the Barcelona Open, an ATP event scheduled from 18 to 26 April and which on Tuesday postponed the planned presentation of the event.

If the measure is extended, it could also affect the Madrid Open, an ATP Masters and WTA Premier event from 2 to 10 May.

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