Wimbledon has become the latest sporting event to be cancelled because of the coronavirus crisis.
While the decision had looked inevitable for some time, since the virtual shutdown of world sport and the postponement of the Tokyo Olympics, Wimbledon had been one of the few events not to have been officially cancelled or postponed.
But after emergency talks between the various stakeholders over the last few days, the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) announced on Wednesday that it was impossible for the grass court Grand Slam, scheduled for June 29-July 12, to take place.
The All England Club said in a statement: “It is with great regret that the AELTC has today decided that The Championships 2020 will be cancelled due to public health concerns linked to the coronavirus epidemic.
“The 134th Championships will instead be staged from 28 June to 11 July 2021.”
Wimbledon first was held in 1877 and has been contested every year since, with the exception of two periods: from 1915-18 because of World War I, and from 1940-45 because of World War II.
“It has weighed heavily on our minds that the staging of The Championships has only been interrupted previously by World Wars,” club chairman Ian Hewitt said in a press release.
“But, following thorough and extensive consideration of all scenarios, we believe that it is a measure of this global crisis that it is ultimately the right decision to cancel this year’s Championships, and instead concentrate on how we can use the breadth of Wimbledon’s resources to help those in our local communities and beyond.”
The men’s ATP Tour and women’s WTA Tour are already suspended until at least June 7 but it looks extremely unlikely that any professional tennis will be possible throughout the northern hemisphere summer as the pandemic worsens in Europe and the US
The French Open, originally due to be held from May 24-June 7 has been postponed and controversially rescheduled by the French tennis federation for September 20-October 4, shortly after the end of the US Open.