All international tennis tournaments in China this year, including the Shanghai Masters and the WTA Finals, were canceled on Friday due to the coronavirus, the ATP and WTA said.
The big blow to attempts to restart tennis comes after China said it would not host most international sporting events during the rest of 2020 to keep the pandemic under control. "We are extremely disappointed that our world-class events in China do not take place this year," Steve Simon, head of the Women's Tennis Association, said in a statement.
"However, we respect the decision that (the Chinese authorities) have made and are eager to return to China as soon as possible next season."
Among the seven canceled WTA events is the Wuhan Open in October, which promised to be highly symbolic as the city was at the center of the coronavirus outbreak when it emerged late last year.
The ATP said it was also canceling its tournaments in China for the rest of the year, including the prestigious Shanghai Masters and China Open, an event for men and women, in Beijing.
"Our focus throughout this pandemic has always been to follow local guidance in organizing events. We respect the Chinese government's decision to do what is best for the country in response to the unprecedented global situation," said Andrea Gaudenzi, president of ATP .
"It is with great regret that we announced that ATP tournaments will not be played in China this year."
From NDTV Sports
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