All ATP and WTA tournaments in China cancelled for 2020

The tennis calendar for the remainder of 2020 has been decimated by the cancellation of all ATP and WTA Tour events in China.

The China Open in Beijing, the Shanghai Masters and the WTA Finals Shenzhen are among the tournaments which will not take place in 2020.

China’s General Administration of Sport announced that no sport events would be held for the rest of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

It was hoped that there might be an exception made, but it was confirmed on Friday by the ATP and WTA Tours that no tournaments would be played in China for the remainder of 2020.

Tournaments cancelled:

• China Open, Beijing (WTA Premier Mandatory/ATP 500)
• Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open (WTA Premier-5)
• Rolex Shanghai Masters (ATP Masters 1000 Series)
• Jiangxi Open, Nanchang (WTA International)
• Zhengzhou Open (WTA Premier)
• Shiseido WTA Finals Shenzhen (WTA season-ending championship)
• WTA Elite Trophy Zhuhai (WTA season-ending championship)
• Guangzhou Open (WTA International)
• Chengdu Open (ATP 250)
• Zhuhai Championships (ATP 250)

The loss is particularly significant for the WTA, which has invested heavily in holding some of their biggest events in China over the past decade. The cancellation of the WTA Finals Shenzhen, an immensely lucrative event, is a huge blow.

WTA Chairman and CEO Steve Simon said:

‘We are extremely disappointed that our world-class events in China will not take place this year. Unfortunately, this decision also includes the cancellation of the Shiseido WTA Finals Shenzhen and as result, the corresponding Porsche Race to Shenzhen.

‘We do however respect the decision that has been made and are eager to return to China as soon as possible next season.’

The WTA Tour is currently scheduled to resume from 3 August when the Palermo Ladies Open begins, followed on 10 August by the Prague Open. World no. 2 Simona Halep is among the players who have signed up to play both, while Serena Williams will lead the field at the Top Seed Open in Lexington, Kentucky from 10 August.

The ATP Tour, whose planned restart tournament in Washington, D.C. was cancelled earlier this week, will not resume until 22 August when the Western & Southern Open begins.

The US Open is currently scheduled to be played behind closed doors in New York from 31 August-13 September, followed immediately by a four-week European clay-court season ending at the French Open.

Without the China tournaments, there are only four tournaments after the French Open on the WTA’s provisional calendar for the remainder of 2020, and no season-ending championships.

The WTA said that it ‘remains committed’ to ‘operating as many tournaments and providing as many playing opportunities as possible this season’. It is exploring adjustments to the provisional calendar.

The ATP, whose season-ending championships are scheduled to be held at the O2 Arena in London in November, has promised to release a calendar for the remainder of 2020 within the next couple of weeks.