Will there be any tournaments in China? The answer should be clear within a month

Four ATP tournaments are scheduled to take place in China this autumn. But the coronavirus crisis, which is still ongoing in one of the most populous countries in the world, will probably not allow them to take place. What is the main problem and how has the WTA approached the tournaments?

The 250 tournaments in Chengdu and Zhuhai are scheduled to take place successively in late September and early October. These are to be followed by a five-hundred in Beijing and finally a Masters series tournament in Shanghai. While the coronavirus pandemic has gradually been out of the headlines in Europe, the situation in China is still very serious.

ATP chief Andrea Gaudenzi has not set an exact time for a decision. The big problem is the organisation of the tournaments themselves, which would have to be under a similarly strict regime as was the case at last year’s Olympic Games.

“If the rules have to be too strict, it is very unlikely that we will be able to convince players to participate in the tournaments. They would have to be quarantined,” said Italian ATP chief Andrea Gaudenzi.

He also added that the ATP is ready to organize tournaments in other countries so that the calendar of events is respected. Thus, holding tournaments in China seems very unlikely for the time being.

The WTA also already knows that it will not hold any tournaments in China. However, this is due to a slightly different situation. The unsolved situation surrounding the mysterious disappearance of tennis player Shuai Peng has caused a stir across the tennis world.

The WTA decided to immediately cancel all upcoming events, in addition to removing the hosting of the Champions Tournament from the Chinese city of Shenzen last year, and the same scenario may repeat itself this year. Instead, the organization has come up with a replacement program that includes, for example, an indoor tournament in Ostrava.

Source: ATP, WTA