Due to the corona restrictions in China, tennis players will not play in the country next fall. Tennis association ATP announced this on Thursday. Four tournaments have been cancelled, including the Shanghai Masters, which were scheduled to take place between October 9 and 16.
The Chengdu Open, Zhuhai Championships and the China Open were also scheduled, but have now been cancelled.
It is the third year in a row that the tournaments in China have been canceled. In 2019, tennis at the highest level was last played in China during the Shanghai Masters tournament. The authorities in China are sticking to a strict corona policy while many other countries have relaxed their rules. China hosted the Winter Games in Beijing in February under strict health protocols.
To fill the gap in the calendar, the International Tennis Federation has granted an annual license to six ATP 250 tournaments. In September and October, these tournaments take place in San Diego, Seoul, Tel Aviv, Florence, Gijón and Naples. Due to the cancellation of the Shanghai Masters tournament, there are only eight Masters tournaments this year.
ATP keeps the consequences of the pandemic under control
Despite the disappointment, ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi indicates that the union can anticipate the consequences of the corona restrictions in China. “As a global sport, we continue to manage the impact of the pandemic.”
The flexible approach ensures that the association can quickly switch to designate ATP 250 tournaments once for the ATP Tour. “This shows the strong international interest in the ATP Tour and confirms the strategy we have chosen to respond to rapidly changing circumstances,” said Gaudenzi.
In 2019 Daniil Medvedev won the Shanghai Masters.
In 2019 Daniil Medvedev won the Shanghai Masters. Photo: Getty Images