Wimbledon has been cancelled for the first time since World War Two because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The tournament was due to be played between 29 June and 12 July.
The entire grass-court season has been abandoned, and there will be no professional tennis anywhere in the world until at least 13 July.
Wimbledon is the latest major summer sporting event to be called off, with Euro 2020 and the Tokyo Olympics postponed for 12 months.
It follows the postponement of the French Open, which was due to begin in May but has been rescheduled to 20 September-4 October.
“This is a decision that we have not taken lightly, and we have done so with the highest regard for public health and the wellbeing of all those who come together to make Wimbledon happen,” said Ian Hewitt, All England Lawn Tennis Club chairman.
“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 it is ultimately the right decision to cancel this year’s Championships, and instead concentrate on how we can use the breadth of Wimbledon’s resources to help those in our local communities and beyond.
“Our thoughts are with all those who have been and continue to be affected by these unprecedented times.”
Why decide now?
The All England Club did not need to make a decision before the end of April, but the writing has been on the wall for some time.
That is when on-site preparations would have had to begin in earnest: a forlorn hope given the current restrictions in place in the UK.
As was the thought that by the end of June, 40,000 people would be able to take their seats in packed stands, and jostle for the best vantage point in the narrow walkways bordering the outside courts.
The government’s advice that large gatherings should not take place is aimed, in no small part, at relieving the pressure on the emergency services, which would otherwise be in attendance. It is undeniably optimistic to assume the demands on the health service will have returned to normal levels by mid-summer.
Swift cancellation should help reduce any losses that Wimbledon, and the LTA’s series of grass-court events, might incur – but there is also the issue of perception.
The All England Club would not want to be seen to be pushing ahead with a sporting event as the death toll continues to rise and the country remains in the grip of the pandemic.
Sticking resolutely to a place on the calendar, only to cancel abruptly, or postponing by a few weeks before having to concede defeat, is messy. It is not the way Wimbledon does things. Better, instead, to face facts and plan to return with a flourish in 2021.
Devastated https://t.co/Fg2c1EuTQY pic.twitter.com/cm1wE2VwIp
— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) April 1, 2020
I’m Shooked https://t.co/dS0cNcCdm0
— Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) April 1, 2020
What about refunds and impact on finances?
The All England Club had the foresight to take out insurance policies which will shield them from eye-watering losses. They will therefore be able to refund ticket holders, broadcast partners and sponsors – a bill which, even according to conservative estimates, will top £200m.
The Lawn Tennis Association will also receive its ‘annual surplus’ of profits. The payment, which effectively funds British tennis’ governing body for the year ahead, was more than £40m in 2018.
It is likely to fall, but should not leave an irreparable hole at the heart of the LTA’s finances, especially as they have tens of millions of pounds in reserve.
But the LTA has lost over £12m in the past two years, and will also be hit by the loss of all of the summer grass-court events. Of those, only the Fever Tree Championships at Queen’s Club actually returns a profit, but as they are not insured against cancellation, this year’s losses will inevitably be greater.
But the biggest blow for British tennis is the loss of the best shop window of the year. No Queen’s, Eastbourne or Wimbledon means no BBC TV exposure for the sport, and even if we are allowed to return to the courts, there is very unlikely to be the dramatic spike in participation usually seen in the months of June and July.
Will there be any tennis at all in 2020?
No-one is holding their breath for a resumption of the tour in Hamburg, Bastad, Bucharest and Lausanne on 13 July.
The Olympic tournament is already on hold; the prestigious events in Toronto and Montreal in the middle of August are said to be under threat; and the USTA has publicly floated the possibility of pushing back the US Open start date of 31 August.
There has even been talk behind the scenes of staging the US Open in Indian Wells, California, in December. But if you take the US Open out of New York and push it back three months, it won’t be the US Open.
If professional tennis is able to resume, then the WTA in particular seems keen to make up for lost time and continue beyond the WTA Championships scheduled for the first week in November.
But the global nature of the sport, which requires players to cross continents with so much regularity, may yet make this debate an academic one as far as 2020 is concerned.
As the 2006 Wimbledon champion Amelie Mauresmo said on Twitter earlier this week: “I think we are going to have to draw a line under the 2020 tennis season.
“An international circuit = players of all nationalities, as well as coaches, spectators and those coming from all four corners of the world to bring these events to life.
“No vaccine = no tennis.”
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Entertainment Gists
Meet the Man Who Turned Hype Into a Science: Emmy Blaq, Nigeria’s G.O.A.T. of Hype
If you have ever been at a Nigerian event and found yourself on your feet before the main act even stepped on stage, there is a good chance a hype man was responsible. But not just any hype man. Emmy Blaq, born Ikechukwu Emmanuel Chima and raised in Auchi, Edo State, has spent the last few years quietly becoming the most talked-about name in that profession, and the Nigerian press has taken notice. Punch, Vanguard, The Guardian Nigeria, The Nation, and Independent Newspaper have all sat down with him, and every conversation leads back to the same thing: this man does not just make noise; he makes moments.
What makes Emmy Blaq different is the journey behind the energy. Before the stages, the collaborations with Waje on her “Waje 2.0” album, DJ Consequence, and DJ Kaywise on the massively streamed “Joor Party Mix” series, he was repairing generators, cutting hair, and sewing clothes in Auchi. His first professional hype gig happened at a local fast food spot called Valchi, and the crowd response that night changed everything. He told The Nation directly: “My passion for entertainment and desire to make people happy led me into the craft.” Punch also captured his bigger mission when he said that hype men deserve more than what they currently earn, a statement that sparked a real conversation across Nigerian entertainment circles.
With over 1.7 million TikTok followers, 23.6 million TikTok likes, a viral “Wife Material” challenge that landed on Pulse Nigeria’s top ten social media moments of 2021, and an international performance at the Cameroon International Music Festival that Cameroonian media described as electrifying, Emmy Blaq is not building toward something. He is already there. The G.O.A.T. of Hype is not a title he gave himself and hoped would stick. It is one the rooms keep confirming every single time he grabs the mic.
MANAGER PROFILE
Uncle Wisdom is a Lagos-based music executive and visionary leader known for blending structure, strategy, and creativity in artist management. With a background in Mathematics and Statistics from UNICROSS formerly, Cross River University Of Technology. He brings analytical precision into talent development, positioning artists for both creative excellence and commercial success.
CAREER JOURNEY
Began his career in 2017 as an event coordinator for Eksu Olofofo, where he gained foundational experience in live events and audience engagement. By 2018, he transitioned into full-time artist management, driven by a clear goal to build a more structured and results-oriented system within the music industry.
In 2019, Started working as a road manager for Barry Jhay, gaining hands-on experience in touring, logistics, and artist operations, a refined career and mental awareness coach . He was also instrumental behind Barry Jhay’s 2025 sold-out homecoming concert, a key moment that fueled momentum for a successful UK tour, including sold-out shows in London and Birmingham.
PHLOX MGMT
Founded from the ground up, Phlox Mgmt is a forward-thinking management company focused on Career coaching, A&R, artist development, and strategic positioning. The company is built on a clear philosophy:
Develop the sound. Define the brand. Position the artist to win.
Phlox Mgmt has connections with @Roadgod_of Roadgod Agency and connects artists with top-tier producers, engineers, and creatives, ensuring a refined sound and strong market presence. The company continues to grow as a trusted platform for emerging and established talent.
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Uncle Wisdom has built valuable relationships across the industry, working with and alongside talents such as:
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