The All England Club has canceled the Wimbledon tennis championships as coronavirus continues to rip through the global sporting calendar.
The tournament was due to begin on June 29 and run for two weeks, but the south London event has been axed for the first time since World War II. It follows the postponement of the French Open earlier this month.
In a statement, the All England Club said: “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 linked to the coronavirus epidemic. The 134th Championships will instead be staged from 28 June to 11 July 2021.”
The decision is yet another blow for TV rights holders following the cancelation of other major sporting events, including the Tokyo Olympics this summer and Premier League football. The BBC is home to Wimbledon in the UK, while ESPN holds the rights in the U.S. under a 12-year deal with the All England Club.
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