Wimbledon 2020 cancelled in response to coronavirus pandemic

• All England Lawn Tennis Club forced to make decision
• First Wimbledon cancellation since the second world war
• Coronavirus: latest updates | See all our coronavirus coverage

Wimbledon, one of the centrepieces of the British summer sporting calendar, has been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, the All England Club has confirmed, the first time the tournament will not be held since the second world war.

The Championships were scheduled to run from 29 June until 12 July but, as tennis officials prepared for emergency talks this week, cancellation swiftly became unavoidable. Unlike one-day sporting events, Wimbledon functions more like a festival, held over two weeks in the vast All-England Lawn Tennis Club, which contains 40 tournament and practice courts occupied by competitors and staff throughout the tournament. This means Wimbledon requires at least two months of preparation before the event, which is incompatible with the government’s current lockdown and guidance on social distancing.

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