The All England Club has specific insurance to cover for a pandemic such as the coronavirusGETTY IMAGES
Wimbledon has been cancelled for the first time since World War II due to the coronavirus pandemic, and there will be “no professional tennis anywhere in the world” until at least July 13, according to Russell Fuller of the BBC. The tournament, which was set for June 29-July 12, was part of the “entire grass-court season [that] has been abandoned.” The All England Club “did not need to make a decision before the end of April, but the writing has been on the wall for some time,” especially after the postponement of the Tokyo Games and Euro 2020 (BBC.com, 4/1). With the grass court season "only six weeks long and played at the height of the British summer when daylight hours are at their longest, it was deemed impossible for the event to be postponed to a later date" (London TELEGRAPH, 4/1). The AEC has "specific insurance to cover for a disease pandemic such as the coronavirus," meaning the tournament "is in a good situation financially" (SKYSPORTS.com, 4/1). All tickets for the '20 tournament "will be refunded, and those who purchased tickets will get a chance to buy tickets to the 2021 tournament for the same day and court as 2020" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 4/1).
SAD, BUT INEVITABLE: ESPN’s Tony Kornheiser said Wimbledon is “by far the most important tennis tournament,” and cancelling it “feels sad to me.” Kornheiser: “This hits home in ways that I’m not sure it has for other sports” (“PTI,” ESPN, 3/30). Tennis player John Isner noted Wimbledon "is our marquee event of the whole year." But he added, "You can't really try to play Wimbledon any other time because it can get a little too cold and the grass might not be good enough" ("SportsCenter," ESPN, 3/31). Tennis Channel's Jon Wertheim noted the AEC was "very reluctant to do one of these closed-doors scenarios where fans are not there.” Additionally, grass is "not something that’s going to hold up in September the way clay is at the French Open” ("Tennis Channel Live," Tennis Channel, 3/30). Tennis broadcaster Barry Cowan noted it takes weeks to prepare for Wimbledon, and “no one is allowed on site, so that obviously becomes problematic.” The AEC has "has always looked to take the bigger picture … and they have been very smart because they have insured themselves” ("Sky Sports News," NBCSN, 3/30).
WHAT ABOUT U.S. OPEN? ESPN.com's Simon Cambers notes the USTA issued a statement saying the U.S. Open is "still scheduled to begin August 24 at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center" despite that venue being "converted into a medical facility" in the fight against coronavirus (ESPN.com, 4/1).
