The fourth edition of the Laver Cup, an exhibition tournament on the ATP Tour, has been postponed by a year due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The organisers said the move was prompted by changes to the international tennis calendar, which created a scheduling conflict with other major international tennis events in a disrupted year.
The Europe vs World men’s team tournament had been scheduled for Boston from September 25-27, but those dates clash with the new dates selected by the French Tennis Federation for the postponed French Open, now scheduled for September 20-October 4. Players and rival tournaments were critical of the French federation’s unilateral move.
The tournament will now be held September 24-26, 2021, also in Boston.
“Since the French Open’s March 17 rescheduling announcement, Laver Cup organisers have been closely monitoring the situation with their partners – Tennis Australia and the USTA – as well as the ATP. Ultimately though, the international tennis schedule precluded the ability of the organisers to stage the event and therefore there was no reason to delay the inevitable decision,” Laver Cup said in a statement.
The three-day exhibition event was founded by Roger Federer’s management company Team8 and has become one of the big-ticket tennis events on the calendar over the last three years.
“It’s unfortunate that the Laver Cup has to be pushed back a year, but at this stage it’s the right thing to do for everyone concerned,” Federer was quoted as saying.
“Although disappointing, the good news is that TD Garden will still be able to host the event next year and I really look forward to finally playing in Boston for the first time at Laver Cup 2021,” the 20-time Major winner added.
Men’s and women’s tennis has been put on hold amid the coronavirus pandemic, with both the ATP and WTA shut down until July 13 at the earliest.
Wimbledon has been cancelled, while the French Open’s new scheduled slot puts the clay court Grand Slam just a week after the US Open - normally the final Grand Slam of the year - is due to be played at Flushing Meadows in New York.
Organizers said tickets purchased for the 2020 Laver Cup will be valid next year or fans can receive a full refund.
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