KASSEL, March 31, 2020
Germany’s biggest tournament on the ITF World Tennis Tour has been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. Organizers of the Wilhelmshöhe Open in Kassel announced Tuesday that the 2020 edition of the M25+ clay-court event will not take place. The tournament was scheduled to be held at the venue of the KTC Bad Wilhelmshöhe Kassel von 1896 on July 13 to 19.
Germany’s biggest ITF World Tennis Tour event cancelled!
Organizers of the M25+ Wilhelmshöhe Open in Kassel announced that the 2020 edition (July 13 to 19) will not be held due to coronavirus outbreak. pic.twitter.com/6J8hg2H7g6
— Florian Heer (@Florian_Heer) March 31, 2020
“After many intensive discussions in the past weeks and days, we decided with a heavy heart to cancel the Wilhelmshöhe Open 2020,” tournament director Dr. Eberhard Engelmann stated in a press release. It will be the first time in 34 years that the popular annual tennis event is not going to take place.
“Due to the current situation we do not see the possibility to organize the tournament at the usual high level of recent years. Above all, we care about everyone’s health.
“The decision was very difficult for us, but there is no alternative at the moment.”
The first reactions to the cancellation were very positive. The sponsors of the tournament support the decision and have already agreed to support the Wilhelmshöhe Open again in 2021 when the KTC Bad Wilhelmshöhe 1896 also celebrates its 125th anniversary.
The ITF has postponed the ITF World Tennis Tour until Monday 8 June 2020. This aligns with the ATP and WTA’s suspension of their respective tours and the decision by the Fédération Française de Tennis to postpone Roland Garros.
