Tennis: Wimbledon cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic

By Can Erozden

ANKARA (AA) - Wimbledon, one of the most popular tournaments of the annual tennis calendar, has been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, organizers announced on Wednesday.

"It is with great regret that the AELTC [All England Lawn Tennis Club] has today decided that The Championships 2020 will be cancelled due to public health concerns linked to the coronavirus epidemic," read a statement issued on Wednesday evening.

The organizers said the 134th Championships will be held in London from June 28 to July 11 next year.

"This is a decision that we have not taken lightly, and we have done so with the highest regard for public health and the wellbeing of all those who come together to make Wimbledon happen," said AELTC head Ian Hewitt.

Wimbledon is one of the four Grand Slam tournaments held every year, along with the Australian Open, the French Open (Roland Garros) and the U.S. Open.

Since originating in Wuhan, China, last December, the novel coronavirus has spread to at least 180 countries and regions across the world, according to figures compiled by the U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University.

Europe is the world’s worst-affected continent and the U.K. has nearly 30,000 COVID-19 cases and over 2,300 deaths.

The data shows more than 885,600 cases have been reported worldwide since last December, with the global death toll over 44,200 and more than 185,400 recoveries.