BRAUNSCHWEIG, April 3, 2020
In conjunction with the cancellation of The Championships, Wimbledon, the ATP and WTA have jointly announced the continued suspension of the ATP and WTA Tours until July 13, 2020, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. This will also affect the ATP Challenger Tour.
The ATP Challenger Tour has also extended its suspension due to the #COVID19 pandemic, with no tournaments held until July 13. https://t.co/2VunYbjg0F
— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) April 1, 2020
The 2020 edition of the Sparkassen Open in Braunschweig will not proceed as scheduled. Germany’s prestigious clay-court tournament, which received the “ATP Challenger of the Year” award five times in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2019, was scheduled to take place on July 2 to 11 at the venue of the Braunschweiger Tennis-and Hockey Club.
“After the tournament in Wimbledon was cancelled, we knew that it was illusory and irresponsible to host the Sparkassen Open,” organizer Harald Tenzer explained.
The final decision was made just hours later when the ATP and WTA announced that the entire professional tour would be suspended until July 13th. “Of course we support this decision. The health of the players, the spectators and the employees always comes first,” tournament director Volker Jäcke pointed out.
“We will have discussions with our sponsors about how our tournament will continue,” said Tenzer, who would like to organize a tennis event later this year. “There are already talks with the ATP to host the tournament as an indoor tournament in Braunschweig at the beginning of December. More information will follow in the coming weeks. “
