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Wimbledon cancelled due to #Covid19

───   MORGAN PIEK 17:25 Wed, 01 Apr 2020

Wimbledon cancelled due to #Covid19 | News Article
Wimbledon - AELTC/Thomas Lovelock

The Covid-19 pandemic which is gripping the globe has claimed the world’s biggest and illustrious tennis tournament, with the organisers of Wimbledon cancelling the Grand Slam.


The 2020 event in London becomes the first Grand Slam to be called off due to the Coronavirus after the organisers of the French Open in Paris opted to rather play the clay-court Grand Slam in September.

With Wimbledon being a grass-court event, rescheduling it to later in the year becomes a challenge as the weather does have an effect on the grass.

Earlier the organisers of Wimbledon, the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) ,ruled out the possibility of the Grand Slam being played behind closed doors.

This is the first time since World War II that the iconic tournament in the English capital city has been cancelled.

Chairman of AELTC, Ian Hewitt, said that the decision to cancel the world's richest tournament was not taken lightly.

“This is a decision that we have not taken lightly, and we have done so with the highest regard for public health and the wellbeing of all those who come together to make Wimbledon happen.

“It has weighed heavily on our minds that the staging of The Championships has only been interrupted previously by World Wars 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.”

AELTC Chief Executive, Richard Lewis, added that they believe that the decision is in the best interest of society.

“While in some ways this has been a challenging decision, we strongly believe it is not only in the best interests of society at this time, but also provides certainty to our colleagues in international tennis given the impact on the grass-court events in the UK and in Europe and the broader tennis calendar.

“We have appreciated the support of the LTA, and the ATP, WTA and ITF in coming to this decision, and our friends and partners who stage these grass-court events that are so important in the build-up to Wimbledon. I would like to thank the UK Government and public health authorities for their guidance and support, and we will do whatever we can to assist their efforts in tackling the crisis.

“Finally, I would like to thank all those who love Wimbledon for their understanding of these unique and unquestionably challenging circumstances. It is your passion for The Championships that has shaped our event over the years, and will continue to do so, and we look forward to preparing a fantastic Championships for 2021.”

The 134th edition will now be staged from 28 June to 11 July 2021.


@MorganPiek OFM Sport

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