The persevering with unfold of the coronavirus has triggered havoc with the sporting schedule and the grass-court Grand Slam, Wimbledon, could possibly be the following main occasion to be delayed. PHOTO: AFP
LONDON: Wimbledon could possibly be postponed and even cancelled after All England Membership chiefs referred to as an “emergency meeting” for subsequent week to debate whether or not to go forward with this 12 months’s event amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Wimbledon is about to start out in London on June 29, however the persevering with unfold of the virus has triggered havoc with the sporting schedule and the grass-court Grand Slam could possibly be the following main occasion to be delayed.
“The AELTC can confirm that it is continuing a detailed evaluation of all scenarios for The Championships 2020, including postponement and cancellation, as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak,” an All England Membership assertion stated on Wednesday.
“An emergency meeting of the AELTC Main Board is scheduled for next week, and in preparation we are communicating closely with the LTA, and with the ATP, WTA, ITF and the other Grand Slams.”
The French Open was the primary of this 12 months’s three remaining Grand Slams to be postponed because of the virus.
Initially scheduled to run from Might 24 to June 7, the clay-court event was moved to September 20 by the French Tennis Federation in a transfer that angered some gamers.
The brand new date for Roland Garros is only one week after the US Open finishes and clashes with the Laver Cup, the favored exhibition workforce competitors arrange by Roger Federer and that includes main gamers from Europe and the remainder of the world.
Wimbledon, whose singles titles have been gained by Novak Djokovic and Simona Halep final 12 months, is the crown jewel of the game’s 4 Grand Slams.
However shifting it deeper into the tennis calender could be difficult after the outcry over the unilateral French Open change.
Euro 2020 and the Tokyo Olympics have each been put again by a 12 months to permit the well being disaster to be resolved.
‘Significant risk’
Stress is rising on the All England Membership to decide and organisers have dominated out enjoying the event behind closed doorways.
“The build for The Championships is due to begin at the end of April,” the assertion stated.
“At this time, based on the advice we have received from the public health authorities, the very short window available to us to stage The Championships due to the nature of our surface suggests that postponement is not without significant risk and difficulty. Playing behind closed doors has been formally ruled out.”
