ATP, WTA extend suspension of play amid coronavirus outbreak

FILE - The French Open has been postponed because of the coronavirus. The French Tennis Federation announced that the clay-court event will run from September 20 to October. 4. Photo: Martin Bureau/AP

FILE - The French Open has been postponed because of the coronavirus. The French Tennis Federation announced that the clay-court event will run from September 20 to October. 4. Photo: Martin Bureau/AP

Published Mar 18, 2020

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NEW YORK – The ATP and WTA have extended the suspension of their tours until June 7, the two tennis bodies said in a joint statement on Wednesday, as the coronavirus pandemic continued to shred the sporting calendar.

The claycourt season "will not be held as scheduled" due to the suspension, the organising bodies of the men's and women's tours said. The men's ATP and women's WTA rankings will be frozen for the time.

"The challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic to professional tennis demand greater collaboration than ever from everyone in the tennis community," the associations said in a statement released on Wednesday.

"We are assessing all options related to preserving and maximising the tennis calendar."

The International Tennis Federation (ITF) also postponed its World Tennis Tour until June 8, the organisation said on Wednesday, a day after the French Open announced a shock switch to September from May.

Reuters

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