The ATP ended months of speculation and uncertainty regarding the resumption of tennis by releasing a provisional tennis schedule for 2020 on Thursday. (Getty Images)
The spread of coronavirus has seen several tennis events suspended from the 2020 schedule
Like the rest of the sports on the planet, the 2020 tennis schedule also has been drastically affected by the coronavirus.
With the ATP and WTA recently giving a joint statement regarding the suspension of all tennis-related activities until at least June 7, the game will witness a lot of competitions going under the drain.
Three big tournaments have so far been cancelled. The Miami Open (March 22-April 4) and Madrid Open (May 4-11), which are both joint ATP and WTA events, will not be held in 2020. Neither will the men’s Masters tournament in Monte-Carlo (April 11-19).
ATP events Munich, Estoril, Geneva and Lyon and WTA Premier events in Charleston and Stuttgart have also been cancelled as they fall before 2020 June.
The French Open officials recently announced that the 2020 schedule will be postponed from May-June to September 20-October 4, a week after the conclusion of this year’s US Open.
However, the new decision has not been very well received as it conflicts with the Laver Cup which was scheduled to be held from September 25-27.
This is one of the main events in record 12-time champion Rafael Nadal’s 2020 schedule. However, with the new dates receiving not much support, it remains to be seen what’s in the store for the Major event.
He was the winner last year overpowering Austrian Dominic Thiem in the final displaying his dominance in the clay-court.
Next line, the 2020 Wimbledon Championships at the moment seem to be the first Grand Slam event on cards. Despite the coronavirus situation still persisting the authorities have decided to go on with the scheduled dates as planned.
The Grass-court major event is to start from June 29 and extend until July 12.
There was speculation that the cancellation of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (July 25-August 2) would leave a vacant spot during which Wimbledon could have been conducted.
However, developments suggest that the authorities have decided against it and are fixed on continuing as per the set dates.
Roger Federer is expected to make his return to tennis at Wimbledon. The Swiss star is recuperating from a knee surgery he underwent recently.
Federer’s attempt at another Grand Slam title at the grass-court event was floundered last year when Serbian Novak Djokovic overcame him in the final to grab his 16th Major.
He had earlier decided to chuck the entire clay-court season in a bid to gain complete fitness.
The year ending Slam event is currently supposed to run as per the schedule from August 24 until September 13. However, the postponement of the French Open 2020 has put the Grand Slam event under the scanner making it a little vulnerable.
With the French Open soon on its trail, ‘King of Clay’ Nadal’s participation remains a big concern as to whether the 19-time Grand Slam winner would opt to feature in his favourite red clay-court or the hard-court event in the US.
He is the defending US Open champion after defeating Russian Daniil Medvedev in the summit clash last year.
The US Open would be one of the most awaited Grand Slam events in World No.1 Novak Djokovic’s 2020 schedule.
However, the ATP and WTA have frozen the rankings until further notice, hence his position is not under the scanner.
The ATP Finals and the Davis Cup Finals remain the final tournaments of the year with the former scheduled from November 15 to 22. The latter will follow the ATP Finals soon and are slated to start from November 23 and go on until 29th.
Meanwhile, last year’s ATP Finals saw ‘Next Gen’ star Stefanos Tsitsipas emerge the ultimate winner defeating Austrian Thiem.
Spain did their bit by winning the 2019 Davis Cup. The Europeans defeated Canada to bag their sixth title of the tournament.
Nadal received the Most Valuable Player award for his performance. The Spanish ace won eight out of eight games that he participated in.
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