The 2020 Wimbledon Championships was a cancelled Grand Slam tennis tournament scheduled to be played at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, London, United Kingdom, between Monday 29 June 2020 and Sunday 12 July 2020.[1] It was never played because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[2] The cancellation of the tournament was announced on 1 April 2020.[3] This was the first time since World War II that the Wimbledon Championships have been cancelled.
| 2020 Wimbledon Championships | |
|---|---|
| Date | 29 June – 12 July (cancelled) |
| Edition | 134th (cancelled) |
| Category | Grand Slam (ITF) |
| Draw | 128S / 64D / 48XD |
| Surface | Grass |
| Location | London, United Kingdom |
| Venue | All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club |
Cancellation and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
editThe All England Club exercised an insurance plan covering infectious diseases, reportedly claiming over £100 million for the cancellation.[4] £10m was distributed to the 620 players whose rankings would have been high enough for them to enter the tournament had it taken place.[5] It was the first time the tournament had been cancelled since 1945 during World War II.[6] Had it gone ahead, it would have been the 134th edition of the Wimbledon Championships.[2] Novak Djokovic of Serbia and Simona Halep of Romania were the defending champions in the 2019 men's and women's singles draw.[1][6] Following the cancellation, the BBC, the host broadcaster of this event since 1937 decided to air classic games as a replacement programme.[7]
References
edit- ^ a b "Wimbledon Canceled: A 'Kick in the Gut' Not Felt Since World Wars". The New York Times. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
- ^ a b "Wimbledon tennis tournament canceled amid coronavirus pandemic". CNN. April 2020. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
- ^ "Cancellation of The Championships 2020" (Press release). The Championships, Wimbledon. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
- ^ Fraser, Stuart. "Wimbledon nets £100m coronavirus cancellation payout". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
- ^ "AELTC Announces Prize Money in Lieu of Championships 2020 and Initial Decisions for 2021". Wimbledon. AELTC. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
- ^ a b "Wimbledon canceled for first time since World War II". ESPN.com. 1 April 2020.
- ^ "Wimbledon 2020: BBC TV to show classic finals, rewinds & Andy Murray weekend". BBC Sport. 3 July 2020. Retrieved 31 January 2021.