Wimbledon, also known as The Championships, has been completely cancelled for 2020 due to coronavirus, the first time the event has been called off since World War II in 1945.
“It is with great regret that the Main Board of the All England Club (AELTC) and the Committee of Management of The Championships have today decided that The Championships 2020 will be cancelled due to public health concerns linked to the coronavirus epidemic,” Wimbledon shared Wednesday on its official Twitter account. The post was noted by ESPN in a report published Wednesday. (RELATED: REPORT: Coachella Potentially Rescheduled To October Due To Coronavirus Fears)
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.https://t.co/c0QV2ymGAt
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) April 1, 2020
“Uppermost in our mind has been the health and safety of all of those who come together to make Wimbledon happen — the public in the UK and visitors from around the world, our players, guests, members, staff, volunteers, partners, contractors, and local residents — as well as our broader responsibility to society’s efforts to tackle this global challenge to our way of life,” the statement added. “In addition, the ATP and WTA made a joint announcement that all events at all levels of both professional tours have been canceled through July 13, covering the entire grass-court season. The same decision was made by the International Tennis Federation.” (RELATED: Pearl Jam Postpones North American Tour Over Growing Coronavirus Concerns)
The competition was previously scheduled to take part from June 29 to July 12. They are now scheduled to begin next year and run from June 28 to July 11.
It is not only the first time the championship has been cancelled since World War II, but also the first time since the tournament began in 1877 that the games will not be played during peacetime.
Wimbledon was canceled from 1915 to 1918 due to World War I and from 1940 to 1945 due to World War II.
The decision to cancel the tournament came just after it was announced that 563 people in the U.K. had died in one day from COVID-19, increasing the country’s death toll to 2,352.