大象传媒

Coronavirus: Wimbledon 2020 has been cancelled

Wimbledon.Image source, Getty Images

The Wimbledon tennis championships have been cancelled because of the global coronavirus outbreak.

Wimbledon - which is the oldest tennis tournament in the world - is one of the biggest events in the tennis calendar.

In a statement, the organisers said: "It's with great regret that...The Championships 2020 will be cancelled due to public health concerns linked to the coronavirus epidemic".

The 134th Championships will now take place from 28 June to 11 July 2021.

It's the first time since World War Two that the tennis tournament has been cancelled.

Teen sensational, Coco Gauff tweeted: "I'm gonna miss playing in Wimbledon this year. Stay safe everyone, love you guys."

Wimbledon was scheduled to begin on 29 June. However, following a series of emergency meetings this week, officials at the event and from the people who run tennis have decided to cancel the event.

One of the alternatives considered was taking up the weeks previously occupied by the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, but it was decided this wouldn't work.

Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,

The Tokyo 2020 Olympic games have already been cancelled

The Olympic games, which were scheduled to take place between July and August, have been re-scheduled for the summer of 2021.

The Wimbledon tennis championships have taken place at the Old England Club in Wimbledon, London, since 1877.

It's one of four Grand Slam tournaments in the tennis calendar and is viewed by many as the most important competition.

Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,

The French Open has been re-scheduled to take place in September

Elsewhere, French Open organisers have upset lots of smaller tournaments by re-scheduling the French Grand Slam tournament from May to September.

This has clashed with lots of other events already featuring on the tennis calendar.

Tennis stars helping out

Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Five-time Wimbledon winner, Novak Djokovic, has donated loads of money towards fighting coronavirus

Some of the biggest stars in the game have donated money towards helping against coronavirus.

World number one, Novak Djokovic has donated almost 拢900,000 to help fight coronavirus in his native country, Serbia.

Roger Federer has donated 拢857,000 to help vulnerable families in his native country, Switzerland.