The coronavirus pandemic has brought the entire world to a standstill with several sporting competitions being either cancelled or put off until a further date. And now the most recent tournament to suffer a similar fate is the 2020 Wimbledon Championships. The Tennis competition which was scheduled from June 29, 2020, has now been cancelled keeping in mind the effects on public health due to COVID 19 and now the 134th edition will be staged next year starting from June 28 to July 11, 2021. Wimbledon Set to Be Cancelled for First Time Since World War II Amid Coronavirus Pandemic.

The All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) announced on April 1, 2020 (Wednesday) that this year’s Wimbledon Championships have been cancelled and will now take place in the summer of 2021. ‘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.’ Read the statement released by the governing body. French Open 2020 Postponed Amid Coronavirus Outbreak, Tennis Tournament Rescheduled for September 20.

Read Full Statement 

The new dates for the tournament have also been announced ‘The 134th Championships will instead be staged from 28 June to 11 July 2021.’ AELTC added to their statement. They also said that the considerations are being made in order to avoid mass gatherings and the strain on the medical workers in the country.

‘These considerations are particularly related to the concerns brought about by mass gatherings and the strain on the medical and emergency services, as well as movement and travel restrictions both within the UK and around the world.’ The governing body added.

A meeting of the main board members was held on Wednesday where the decision to postpone the competition was taken. It was also added that people who bought their tickets for this year’s championships will have their money refunded to them and will be offered to purchase them for the same court and same day in 2021.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 01, 2020 09:05 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).