For the first time since 1945, Wimbledon will take the year off.
The Grand Slam tournament was canceled Wednesday, joining the growing list of sporting events and leagues that have shut down temporarily because of the coronavirus pandemic. The first match was scheduled to begin on June 29.
“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 canceled due to public health concerns linked to the coronavirus epidemic,” said Wimbledon officials in a statement. “Following a series of detailed deliberations on all of the above, it is the Committee of Management’s view that cancellation of The Championships is the best decision in the interests of public health, and that being able to provide certainty by taking this decision now, rather than in several weeks, is important for everyone involved in tennis and The Championships.”
Officials considered postponing the tournament until later in the year, but ultimately decided it was not worth the risk. The 134th Championships will now be held from June 28 to July 11, 2021.
Wimbledon joins the NBA, Major League Baseball, and the 2020 Olympic Games on the list of sporting events and leagues that have been forced to cancel owing to the outbreak.
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