Amid the deadly outbreak of the novel coronavirus, which forced the French Open to be postponed, the Wimbledon Open organisers seem to be unaffected as they are planning to go ahead with the year’s third grand slam as per schedule.
The All England Club in an official statement, on Tuesday, informed that they are monitoring the ongoing situation and are working closely with the health authorities in accordance with the government guidelines.
“Following the government’s recommendation to individuals to avoid any non-essential social gatherings and work from home where possible, the AELTC has taken the decision to close the Wimbledon Museum and Tours, Shop, and Community Sports Ground, while the All England Club and Wimbledon Park Golf Club outdoor facilities will remain open to Members on a partial basis only for the time being,” the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club said in a statement.
“At this time, we continue to plan for The Championships and the grass court season, and we intend to maintain the Estate with a limited team onsite, with the rest of our business operations taking place through remote working,” the statement added.
In the wake of the global outbreak of COVID-19, which has already killed more than 7,900 people and affected over 1,98,000 people, the French Tennis Federation on Tuesday announced the postponement of French Open 2020 until September.
The Roland Garros, which was slated to be played between May 24 and June 7, will now commence on September 20 and will conclude on October 4 this year.
However, the All England Club remains hopeful of staging the grass-court Slam on time after the virus is slowed. The chief executive of the AELTC has assured that before taking any decision they will reconsider public safety first.
“At the heart of our decision-making is our commitment to the health and safety of our members, staff, and the public, and we are grateful to the government and public health authorities for their advice and support,” Lewis was quoted as saying in the statement.
“While we continue to plan for The Championships at this time, it remains a continuously evolving situation and we will act responsibly, in the best interests of wider society.
“We thank all of our members, staff, players, partners, contractors and the public for their patience and trust as we continue to navigate this unprecedented global challenge,” he added.