#CoronavirusOutbreak: ATP and WTA Tours face further suspension
Tennis has been severely impacted by the coronavirus pandemic and it looks like the 2020 season could be wiped out. The ATP and WTA Tours have been suspended further because of the COVID-19 crisis. Earlier, the 2020 tennis calendar had been suspended until at least July 13. However, now there is further uncertainty regarding a resumption of the sport. Here's more.
Upcoming ATP and WTA events have been canceled
The decision was made in close collaboration with Tour members. It means ATP events in Hamburg, Bastad, Newport, Los Cabos, Gstaad, Umag, Atlanta and Kitzbühel will not take place as scheduled. Meanwhile, WTA events in Bastad, Bucharest, Lausanne and Jurmala have been called off, with similar events in Palermo and Karlsruhe set to follow.
We continue to assess all of our options: ATP
"Just like tennis fans, players and tournament hosts all over the world, we share in the disappointment the tour continues to be affected in this way," said ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi. "We continue to assess all of our options in an effort to resume the tour as soon as it is safe to do so, including the feasibility of rescheduling events later on."
USTA drafting alternative venue plans for US Open
Meanwhile, The United States Tennis Association (USTA) is pressing ahead with preparations to stage the US Open 2020 in New York this year but is "aggressively" drafting alternative plans for the tournament. New York has been the epicentre of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. The US Open is set to held from August 31 to September 13.
We are exploring every possibility around the US Open: Widmaier
"The USTA's goal is to hold the 2020 US Open in New York on its currently scheduled dates," Widmaier said. "We understand that there is a great deal of speculation regarding the USTA's planning for the 2020 US Open. We would like to clarify that while we are exploring every possibility around the US Open."
Australian Open 2021 is also under threat
Earlier, it was reported that the Australian Open 2021 could face cancelation under a worst-case scenario if the coronavirus pandemic continues to halt the world. Tennis Australia said it was looking at a range of options in hope the COVID-19 crisis eases.
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