TENNIS: Madrid Open cancelled as coronavirus cases rise in Spain

The 2020 edition of the Madrid Open has been cancelled after plan to host it amid the coronavirus pandemic was hindered by rising cases of the disease in Spain.

The organisers were advised by the Spanish health ministry not to hold it amid the city’s “deteriorating” coronavirus situation.

“We have no choice but to cancel the tournament due to the complex situation that Covid-19 continues to generate in every regard,” said organisers.

Read Also: Spain goalie, Casillas, announces retirement from football at age 39

The clay-court event was set to start in the Spanish capital on 12 September, but, like some other events since March, will no longer hold.

Both the Madrid Open an the French Open – the start and the end of clay-court season – were originally scheduled for May before being pushed to September.

Spain has recorded more than 302,000 cases of coronavirus since the start of the pandemic, and 28,498 deaths, according to the latest figures released on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the French Open is scheduled to start on 27 September, with organisers hoping to allow up to 60% of crowd capacity at Roland Garros.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now