ATP and WTA will resume in August

The leading tennis tours of the ATP and WTA will resume in August after a five-month suspension due to the coronavirus pandemic, organizers said Wednesday, while the US Open and French Open grand slams were also confirmed. Photo: AP Photo

The leading tennis tours of the ATP and WTA will resume in August after a five-month suspension due to the coronavirus pandemic, organizers said Wednesday, while the US Open and French Open grand slams were also confirmed. Photo: AP Photo

Published Jun 17, 2020

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PARIS - The leading tennis tours of the ATP and WTA will resume

in August after a five-month suspension due to the coronavirus

pandemic, organizers said Wednesday, while the US Open and French

Open grand slams were also confirmed.

Women's play will resume from August 3 with a clay-court tournament

in Palermo, Italy, while the men start August 14 on a Washington

hard-court in reworked schedules.

The US Open starts August 31 at Flushing Meadows in New York which

will also host the usual Cincinnati Masters tune-up event from the

week before.

French organizers said their major would be delayed a week to allow

qualifying after the US Open with the main draw at Roland Garros now

beginning September 27, two weeks after the New York final.

The French Open moved from its original May/June slot due to the

coronavirus outbreak while the US Open retains its planned berth.

Only the Wimbledon grass court major will not be held in 2020 having

been previously scrapped.

A statement said the rearranged dates would apply "providing the

conditions relating to the Covid-19 health crisis allow it to go

ahead."

Whether fans will be allowed in remains unclear, with Roland Garros

saying it would work with the French government to ensure the health

and safety of all people present. "All options will be considered and

are susceptible to change," it added.

"In the current, difficult climate, we are well aware that it is a

privilege to be able to hold Roland-Garros in its usual format," said

French tennis chief Bernard Giudicelli.

"Especially since the qualifying tournament will help to financially

support a category of professional players who have been severely

affected by this unprecedented crisis."

Leading players including world number ones Ash Barty and Novak

Djokovic had previously expressed doubt about the viability of

playing in New York, a coronavirus hotspot, under a strict hygiene

regime.

Six-time US Open champion Serena Williams, however, confirmed she was

on board to again chase a record 24th grand slam and said she "can't

wait to return to New York."

"First and foremost, our decision-making has been guided by the

health and well-being of all who will take part in the 2020 US Open,"

said United States Tennis Association president Patrick Galbraith.

"After educating ourselves through consultations with experts, and

following near round-the-clock planning for three months, we are

confident that we have a plan that is safe, viable and the right

thing to do for our sport."

The WTA Finals in Shenzhen, China, now conclude the season from

November 9 with the ATP expecting to confirm further dates, ahead of

the November finals in London, in mid-July.

dpa

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