ORGANISERS HAVE TODAY announced the cancellation of this year’s Wimbledon due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

It is the first time England’s tennis Grand Slam has been called off since World War II.

“It is with great regret that the main board of the All England Club (AELTC) and the committee of management of the Championships have today decided that The Championships 2020 will be cancelled due to public health concerns,” the organisers said in a statement.

After the French Open was postponed, the cancellation of the grass-court tournament, which was scheduled to run from 29 June to 12 July, leaves the tennis calendar upturned. All England Club chairman Ian Hewitt said the decision had not been taken lightly.

“It has weighed heavily on our minds that the staging of The Championships has only been interrupted previously by world wars but, following thorough and extensive consideration of all scenarios, we believe that it is a measure of this global crisis that it is ultimately the right decision to cancel this year’s Championships.”

The decision to scrap the tournament was widely expected, with the world struggling to contain the spread of COVID-19, which has infected more than 840,000 people worldwide and killed over 40,000.

It also prompted the ATP and WTA to cancel the grasscourt swing in the build-up to Wimbledon, meaning the tennis season will not now recommence until 13 July at the very earliest.

Organisers had earlier ruled out playing the Grand Slam behind closed doors and postponing the event would also create its own problems.

Former women’s world number one Amelie Mauresmo, the 2006 women’s champion, said the 2020 season would probably need to be scrapped.